


Way of the 21st Century Ninja

by lloyd-garmadone (nightbreakers)



Series: The Ninja Legacy Whip [1]
Category: Lego Ninjago, The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Genre: (no actual sharks were harmed), Adventure, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, Ninjago 10th Anniversary, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Universe Alteration, Various Amounts of Punching Skeletons and Sharks, both in the farthest reaches of the lands and also high school, not a lot just very occassionally, with some general warnings for violence language blood and intense emotions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 87,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28742124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightbreakers/pseuds/lloyd-garmadone
Summary: Listen, Kai's just trying to run his blacksmith shop in one piece; he didn't ask for old men to invade his privacy, or his sister to get kidnapped on her way home from school, or to deal with Ninjago City's best and worst kept secrets... He may have asked for a little more excitement in his life, however...and, well, he's definitely gotten that.Or, what if the events of the show's pilot occurred within the world of the movie?
Series: The Ninja Legacy Whip [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107311
Comments: 75
Kudos: 66





	1. They Say Go Slow

Okay, so Kai’s daily routine goes a little something like this:

In the morning, the roosters of the sleepy town of Ignacia announce the rising of the sun. Kai will groan and roll out of bed, cursing to himself as he remembers he still has tools from last night to clean. He drags himself out of bed. He freshens up in the bathroom. He quietly stalks down the hall so as not to wake his little sister…just yet.

The furnaces roar to life as he ignites them with a single spark from a strike of flint—one oven for cooking breakfast, the other to warm up before his real work begins. But for now, he finishes up the previous night’s tasks, preps ingredients for some semblance of a meal, and throws himself into the task of waking up _her_. That’s always the hardest part.

“Rise and shine, sunshine,” he sings into the doorway of Nya’s room, in a tone and with a nickname he knows she can’t stand. A grunt and a poorly aimed pillow to the face greet him good morning. That’s all he needs to know that she won’t be falling asleep again.

He returns to the kitchen to finish breakfast. It’s a scant affair, with a small helping of rationed eggs, slightly burned toast, a piece of sliced fruit, and on better days some kind of meat (but that day is not today). Kai ignores the way his stomach protests as he inches just a bit more food onto Nya’s plate—not enough that she’d notice the difference, because she _would_ , but also enough to _make_ a difference. She needs the strength more than him.

…which is proven when she appears at last, looking less like the reanimated dead and more like a schoolgirl should- that is, awake, dressed, cleaned, and responsive.

“Learning anything interesting in school these days, sis?” Kai asks as he puts her plate before her. Barely a second goes by before she has a fork in her eggs and the fork in her mouth. But, despite the gusto with which she eats her breakfast, there's something telling about how she doesn't answer immediately.

She diverts into a tale of how she expects the day to go, and of how she’ll definitely “kick butt on this report of Ninjago History”. Her joy fills the room, and it's terribly contagious.

Kai hides his proud yet sad smile. To see her thrive in the world of academics is something he’ll always cherish, but there’s also going to be a small part of him that’ll regret not being able to join her. Not that being book smart or dealing with homework is really anything he thinks he needs, but…

Well, getting to meet new people and learn new things is always going to be a little bit enticing. Yet with the hand this life dealt him, that’s a temptation he’ll have to resist.

And so Nya will scarf down the rest of her meal and rush out the door—sometimes to greet the bus that bothers coming out this far, sometimes to the motorcycle she built herself—and ventures towards education. Kai stays behind, cleans up, and gets the shop open for business.

Most days are spent in silence once Nya takes the conversation and company to school with her. Only the sound of a hammer crashing against hot iron provides a break from the quiet. And Kai tries to do everything his parents taught him—in the short time they were with him—but nothing ever turns out quite right.

“Strike with purpose and passion, and you’ll always have an end result worth something,” once said his father, who seemed to conduct flame on command as he pulled weapons from the forge in pristine shape.

“Have patience as you wait for it to cool- allow things to settle at their own pace,” so said his mother, who poured water over things like it flowed from her very soul. Never too fast, never too forceful, but always graceful. Rarely would she lose her focus.

…unlike Kai, who pulls his swords and maces out far too quick, resulting in them becoming bent far beyond useable shape. Though he could probably knock someone out with them if he tried.

Truly, it’s a miracle anything in Four Weapons sold at all. Most of the merchandise is leftover from the work of his father, but with that starting to run thin, Kai tries to replenish the stock with what he can. It’s rarely _good_ stock, but it’s better than nothing.

So it’s easy to see why customers are so few: the times are peaceful and without need for fighting gear, the village is small and not terribly prosperous enough to spend funds frivolously, and then customers that do happen by mostly purchase something out pity. Kai takes their coin, still happy for the payment. Then he watches it practically disappear out of his hand as it goes towards bills, food, and whatever else they need for the week.

When the house gets hot and the shop gets hotter, Kai will call it quits for the day, just in time for Nya to make her way home. She sings praises about her grades and classes and whatever delight she had for lunch, and Kai will nod and smile as he preps for dinner.

Nya speaks often of Ninjago City—how couldn't she? Passing through its busting streets on the way to school, with neon signs blazing on every corner and people bustling on every block… There's always going to be something that inevitably catches her attention. Kai hangs off every word as she goes on and on about the latest discovery. The city clearly is more abound with opportunity than their humble village.

Dinner passes in a blink, evening turns to night, and Kai closes up shop. Nya snaps her books shut with a yawn and makes a beeline for her bed. Rarely did Kai ever have to tell her it was time for rest, but it also meant less chances to tell her goodnight. He does manage to get one in before her door closes this time, however.

Silence settles in. Kai finishes making his rounds before starting to put his equipment away. He puts out one furnace, hopes the other will be enough to keep them warm at night, and finally, finally, drags himself off to bed…only to wake himself up in the middle of the night with a curse when he realizes he forgot to clean some of the tools, but it’s stashed away as a problem for the Kai of tomorrow.

And then when daylight breaks and the roosters crow, the cycle starts all over again in the morning.

It’s not a very eventful life Kai lives, scraping by on the skin of his teeth with only a single other person for support (that he _has_ to support). It’s overwhelming, and frustrating, and makes him wish every day he knew _why_ his parents just never came home one night, and he wonders why he even _bothers—_

But every time Nya comes home from school looking bright with the promise of a future, Kai steels himself and presses on. If not for him, then for her, at the very least. And he’s content with that.

Yet were he to speak these thoughts aloud…they would not be the complete truth, either.

* * *

“Yes, hello — I’d like to check out these books, please?”

The librarian looks up from the catalogue he's organizing, peering over the rims of his thin-wire glasses. A young girl, long black hair pulled back in a ponytail, beams up at him…which only briefly distracts him from the huge stack of books plopped onto the counter.

“Already back again, I see. Do you even actually _read_ all the books you check out?"

“I'm a fast reader, and I can knock out at least two a day.” The teen remains flippant, fishing around her bag for something. "Besides, for some of the longer, boring ones I just skim for the important stuff."

The librarian sighs, resigned to his fate and starts scanning them out one by one.

“…name and card, as usual.”

“Nya Smith!”

The girl finally frees her card from her bag and places it within the librarian’s reach. With a grunt, grimace, and a swipe, all the books are checked out, and Nya Smith marches out with a backpack ten books heavier and a spirit much, much lighter.

The halls of Ninjago City High are busy during lunch. Everyone gathers together in their cliques, mulling around dreading when the bell will corral them back into obedience again. This brief freedom allows several of the teens to let loose—usually in the way of stupid antics—but Nya does her best to avoid the 'hall surfing', 'water bottle football', and all-around general mayhem.

On the inside, the school is just like any other. On the outside, the building’s pristine walls and jet-black roof give off the impression of being somewhat stable as an institution. Nya disagrees with that notion on many levels, but to be fair, the school still has a very nice courtyard. Green grass, ivory sidewalks, calming breeze. And today, since everyone is bunched up so tightly into their groups, it has left a free spot open by the fountain.

Nya sprints like she never has before and claims it before the odds shift against her.

"Yes!"

Excited, she glances at her phone—still fifteen minutes until lunch properly ends, so she pulls out the first book her fingers brush upon in her bag, flipping open to a random page.

"Okay, deep breaths Nya…this is _only_ the discovery of a lifetime…

She reaches into her bag once more, opening a pocket in the front. A second, smaller bag is carefully lifted from within. Nya treats it as if it’s made of gold—some parts of it are—and she really appreciates the fact that everyone for the most part is minding their own business for once in their lives.

“Heeeeeey~!”

Emphasis on ‘for the most part’.

There's a smoothie shoved between Nya and the book she hasn't even had a chance to skim yet. Nya looks up to find a girl in a navy leather jacket with her bangs parted to the side. The other girl has just enough audacity to not only slurp at her own smoothie, but wink in Nya's direction and nudge the drink a little closer. Nya sighs, setting down the book she'll woefully have to save for later, helplessly smiling as she accepts the offering.

“Hi, Olivia.”

"And a hi to you too, Wavemaker!" Olivia finally removes herself from her straw, giving Nya a once over. "I couldn't find you at all; I almost thought I was gonna miss you, and THEN I'd have to drink this second smoothie through fifth period! Which, wouldn't be so bad, BUT—”

“I just stopped at the library again," Nya interrupts, gesturing at her bookbag. "There’s something I need to…research.”

Olivia’s eyes sparkle at that. Nya braces herself.

“Oh, reaaally?” She plops down next to Nya and leans just a bit too in her personal space, chin perched in one hand. “What’s the latest thing that has you captivated this week? Vehicles? Historical lady figures? Ooh, something occult?!”

Nya can't even pretend to be amused. “…what do you mean, 'this week'?”

"Oh, you know!" Olivia gestures with her smoothie. “Every time I turn around, you’ve got some new interest or whatever! First it was karate, then it was science projects, then gymnastics, then social studies, then you built your own motorcycle, went back to science…and now, what, we’re on history?”

“Anthropology, technically. And you’re just jealous that I can do a double helix bend with a sharp finish and perfect posture.”

“I can’t be jealous of something I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist,” Olivia scoffs, but after trading a look the two break down into giggles. When they stop, Nya wistfully stares at her book.

“It’s not that I’m indecisive or anything, I just like a lot of aspects of a lot of different things. And I feel like if I try a lot of different things, I’ll find the one thing that really speaks to me. And having a lot of skills and know-how doesn't hurt either. The hard part is just remembering I don't _have_ to be good at everything…because I _am_ good at everything.”

Olivia laughs again, clapping Nya on the shoulder.

“I’m not knocking ya—if anything I’m just impressed! I could never keep all that knowledge straight.” Olivia clicks her tongue. “…but seriously, what’s got you checking out a full shelf of books all of a sudden?”

Nya stalls with a sip of smoothie—ooh, passionfruit!—and lets her gaze fall to the brown satchel she'd carried with such care. She's never been opposed to letting Olivia in on things. especially things she couldn't bring herself to tell Kai, but they had only met at the start of the school year, and something like this wasn't exactly swapping gossip around the drinking fountain.

But, she _had_ to tell someone. 

"I…I'm just not sure you'll believe me if I tell you," Nya says slowly. "I barely do myself…"

"Sweetie—" Olivia slurps at her smoothie; Nya's pretty sure it's empty. "—you know I'm super into underground occult stuff. There are few things I'm not gonna believe. Lay it on me."

"Well, this is less occult…but maybe you'd be interested in, say, a conspiracy theory?"

Olivia leans forward. Nya’s confident she’ll fall over eventually. "I'm listening."

"…Okay."

Nya checks over her shoulders; nobody is really paying them any mind. Still, Nya shimmies so her back is mostly in view, taking the small bag and gently pulling it open in her lap. Olivia can only watch as Nya pulls out…a piece of paper? But she holds it with such gravity in her eyes—

"I was in my parents' room the other night, looking for something to wear while I was doing laundry. I was pushing aside my mother's old kimonos and found a box. There was writing etched into it; I couldn't read it, but I recognized it as my father's…"

Nya holds up what is clearly a scroll; its ends are tipped in gold protective casing which she removes.

"I opened the box; this was inside."

Olivia's eyes never leave the scroll as Nya unrolls it, revealing a pristine map of Ninjago. A few landmarks are etched into it, but any and all writing is in a script that's just as elusive as Nya said.

"…what I was researching was a way to translate the texts, and I think I finally found a few symbols to compare it to…and then you interrupted me with a smoothie."

"Well, how was _I_ supposed to know you were deciphering world-shattering texts and not just reading a romance novel?"

"Gee, I dunno, maybe check the cover—?"

Olivia swats at Nya; Nya deflects it easily with a smirk. Caught off-guard, Olivia pouts, but turns her attention back to the scroll.

"…you seriously think you can translate it though?" Olivia whispers in awe. Nya nods. "…huh. Go figure…it's so faded, this thing has gotta be like, thousands of years old…!"

"…see, that’s the thing about it," Nya says quietly. "I've been cross-referencing with the history books—not only does every old map and atlas match this picture, it also matches all _current_ maps of Ninjago. And I learned that the geographical structure and position suggest that Ninjago -the whole island as a landmass- is actually only a few hundred years old. This is doubled down by the fact that if it was as old as we'd originally assumed, we'd see more variance in its structure from the older maps compared to today's."

"…okay, now break that down into its bare essentials."

Nya locks her glaze with Olivia's. "It means that civilization couldn't have been founded thousands of years ago, and the wars that took place here actually happened way more recently, no more than five generations ago at best! Everything they've taught us about the history of Ninjago…is likely to be a lie."

Nya expects Olivia to fly into an outrage over something so ridiculous, but instead she tilts her head and appears to ponder it.

"…what would be the point of such a widespread lie tho? Wouldn't the elders, like, remember Ninjago becoming a thing then? And why wouldn’t those in the know say anything?”

Nya shrugs, mind barely wrapped around it herself. "At its surface, it just seems like a really roundabout way to distance ourselves from the terrible things that happened in Ninjago's past…but there's got to be more to it than that, right?"

Olivia's gaze drifts back over to the map, her lips pulling into a pout.

"…I'm pretty sure there's way more to it than that. By chance, does that map say anything else, or maybe….lead anywhere special? Surely it's not just some schematic of the island for its own sake…?"

Nya possessively pulls the map closer to her. "…like I said, I'm still working on figuring out the translations of the words, but…I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Olivia stays silent for a moment, until her expression melts down into a sheepish smile.

“Heh, was just curious. But all this fake history stuff would make Mr. Milner absolutely furious.”

“Tell me about it! That’s kinda why I was afraid to tell you, but you took it pretty well…”

Olivia shakes her head, leaning back so far she threatens to fall right into the fountain. “I mean, we still don’t exactly know when this map was made, or why it’s seemingly so special, but…I think you’re on something here, Wavemaker.”

She places a hand on Nya’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Nya's smile afterward is genuine but weighed down by grief.

“I just wonder why my parents were in possession of something like this- was it some elaborate prank? Or something they were trying to keep hidden? Or maybe it has something to do with—”

"Have you told you brother about any of this?” Olivia asks. “Maybe he would know?”

Nya groans, a little more dramatically than she intends, but whatever. "I wouldn't even know where to begin! If it all didn’t sound crazy, he'd still be wary, since he's always get uppity even _thinking_ about our parents…but it's been years and I just want some kind of answers…"

She turns the map around in her hands, frowning slightly.

"…even if I'm not totally sure what questions I should be asking."

Olivia stares for the longest time, yet when she moves to say something the bell rings out, signaling the end of lunch and her train of thought. She makes a face, but shakes it off quickly.

"Man, I swear, lunch get shorter every day…! Maybe that's another thinly-concealed conspiracy they're holding against us."

"Oh my gosh, stop," Nya laughs, gently pushing Olivia. "If I can just determine the real age of this map, I'm sure it'll clear everything up. And the words scribbled on it are probably just flavor text of the times or something."

"Perhaps," Olivia laughs too, hands on her hips. "Well, anyway, good luck with getting to the truth! You might even get onto Ninjago's Next Great Discovery! As big as the time one of the Serpentine Tombs was unearthed!"

"It's not that big of a deal I said—” Nya exasperates.

"I, meanwhile, will have to head to Ms. Laudita's class and get my brains bored right out of my skull."

Olivia hops to her feet at last, hands raised over head to stretch out her back.

"…But whenever you get done unraveling the true history of Ninjago, you and I should go grab some more smoothies! You can even pick the flavors this time~"

"I swear your blood is made of nothing but peach-mango," Nya sighs, gathering her things. "But I still have homework, shop chores, and the tune-ups to my bike to take care of even before diving into my research…"

"And you say you don't take on too much, Little Miss Good-At-Everything." Olivia smirks. Nya abruptly turns away from her.

Because I _don't!_ Everything I do is perfectly well-managed within my schedule—!”

"Nya, wait—!”

Nya pointedly does not wait, but proceeds to crash into the nearest human thing and knock them both into the grass. Books and blue papers go flying everywhere, and a strangled scream cries out from under Nya. Nya lets out an undignified yelp herself.

"Oof…my spine…" moans the other unfortunate party in this incident. Nya's still groggy from the fall, but two terrifying thoughts go through her mind—

"Oh no he's cute" and "OH my goodness an arm should NOT bend that way”

"Are you okay?!" Nya screeches as she flings herself off the boy. Said boy manages to detangle his arm back into proper position without much fanfare, fixing the second problem, and yet—

"Yeah, I'm all right. N-nothing I can't walk off," he laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry I ran into you; I was rushing to get back to my locker—”

"N-No, it was my fault; I was talking to my friend and I wasn't paying attention…"

Nya scans around for said friend, only to find Olivia behind a trash can doubled over in barely contained laughter. _Traitor_.

"…anyway, let me help you pick up your flyers. There sure are a lot of them…"

"Ahahaha, yeah—" The boy already started grabbing her books, apparently more concerned about those than his own papers. "I was trying to spread the word about our new club, but I guess it's not really picking up interest…"

Nya balks at that- clubs are the one of the few universal joys this school has. Ranging from cheerleading to archery to choir and the arts and sports and so much more…the offerings leave enough for something for everyone.

Even Nya had been in gymnastics once—as Olivia so offhandedly reminded her—but she didn't cut herself off from that out of lack of interest or time. It was from a lack of funds to keep up with the payments. Only now had reading books and doing research done anything to fill the void left behind.

Her heart squeezes a bit, recalling the day Kai told her it had to stop. It hadn't been easy for either of them…

But now she wonders what club couldn't find at least _some_ interested people, and her eyes sparkle as she reads the headlines.

"…a robotics club?!"

"Yeah!" the boy sings, just as starry-eyed as Nya. "We recycle old scrap parts people don't want and repurpose them into useful inventions, or use them for repairs! And, if we get big enough, we're hoping to create an actual robot! …or at least, that's the plan, ahaha. We're low on people right now. And money. And ideas."

The boy buries his face in his orange scarf before he can prattle on anymore. Nya gives him a befuddled look before skimming the flyer- a small but still reasonable entrance fee, convenient meeting place, the promise of provided refreshments…and a chance to stretch the limits of her mechanical know-how?

The very idea tempts her to toss out all the library books she'd just checked out.

“…hey, do you mind if take one of these?”

“Go for it! I mean, it’s a flyer, giving them to people is kind of the point, hehe…are you going to help spread the word about us?”

“Something like that,” Nya hums, folding it with care and tucking it in her pocket. She then takes the rest of the pile and thrusts it into the boy's arms—"Oomph!"—and jumps back to her feet. "Didn't you say you were in a hurry though?"

"OH YEAH!" the boy yells, nearly dropping everything all over again. He panics in place for a hot second before finally handing Nya back her books with a nervous grin. "I gotta jet, but it was nice to meet you! Definitely spread the word about us, okay?!"

"I'll do you one better," Nya promises. The boy grins back—and it is BLINDING—before breaking off down the hallway, loose flyers scattering about behind him. Nya shakes her head while watching him dart off. So strange…and yet so sweet.

She pulls out her phone. Her schedule looks a little booked on Monday, but if she pushes that study session to Tuesday and does the laundry on Sunday…

"…yeah, I can totally squeeze it in. Oh no, wait, I forgot I'm supposed to watch the shop Tuesday…maybe if I rearrange the grocery shopping instead-"

She hears snickering over her shoulder. Nya whips around.

From around the corner of the building, Olivia mouths a very silent and very smug "I told you so!" and Nya chucks her empty smoothie cup in Olivia's direction. She misses completely, but it still feels satisfying, even when Olivia waltzes away cackling to herself.

* * *

There are bills scattered across the table that Kai diligently neglects while hammering at a steaming sword, just as Nya returns home that day. She's got a skip in her step that's not usually there, but Kai can't question it now—not when he's gotta do _something_ to drum up some fresh business.

He can feel Nya staring at him, waiting for him to just ask. He never does, and she never tells, so he just keeps focusing on his work. Nya takes out her own homework but doesn’t stop studying him either. Kai huffs; always so analytical, his sister.

With a steadying breath, he carefully slides his project back into the heat to settle its new shape. It glows orange with its warmth—something Kai has always found strangely comforting—and then pulls it out slowly, letting the fire spread evenly over the blade. Nya's not even bothering to pretend to do her homework; her eyes are dead set on Kai. Kai's got half a mind to just give her something to talk about, here and now.

And thus, he plunges the sword into the waiting barrel of cooling water.

Steam floods the room, Kai and Nya coughing from the sudden cloud that forms. In his flustered state Kai pulls the sword out prematurely. When the cloud finally settles, Kai's holding a sword that's terribly bent out of shape and might be better used as a bracelet for a giant monster than as a weapon.

A look of utter befuddlement takes over Kai's face. Nya can't contain it anymore—she bursts out laughing.

"You always try to finish it so quickly—you have to have some patience, Kai," she teases. "You can't force the sword to become something else before it's ready, or against its will."

"It's a piece of _metal,_ it doesn't have a will! And besides, I don't have the time to wait for perfection. I have to take what I can get and make the most of it…"

"Well, if Father were still here, he'd say—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know…no matter how much fire you have, experience isn't something you learn overnight." Kai stares at his botched attempt one more time before slamming it back on the anvil. "But you would think a few years of trying would get me something halfway decent."

"…like I said, you keep rushing the process." Nya casts her arm out before her in a wave. "Just…let it happen."

"Easy for you to say—what are they teaching you at that school anyway?"

It's an offhanded comment, merely enough to divert the subject away from himself. But Nya gains a sharp look in her eye, as if waiting her whole life for this moment, and it feels like she’s stabbing Kai to the core when she looks at him.

"Conspiracies," she finally answers, and Kai woefully realizes he's underprepared for this conversation.

"…excuse me?”

Nya pouts, puffing her cheeks out as she does when she's annoyed—or put off—but she eventually swings her backpack onto the table and unzips it with deadly precision.

"…okay, if I tell you, you can't freak out—?”

Kai immediately freaks out, unable to form words yet his mind wastes no time forming ideas on what Nya's gotten herself into. Drugs? Alcohol? Black market weapons? A significant other?! Hiding a dead body?!

"…I found a map in our parents' room."

Oh no, it's the worst possible scenario.

"…and it's not that old of a map, but it depicts events of Ninjago's creation like it was just yesterday…which it wasn't, but a few hundred years is still way off from the thousands the history books try to say. There's a lot of contradictions between what's told here and what we supposedly know, and that's where the conspiracy kicks in. I think this map not only tells the truth of how Ninjago came to be…but also how long ago that actually was. We might have been lied to our whole lives!"

Kai rubs his temples, breathing a sigh of almost relief. "It sounds more to me like you’re the conspiracist here, rather than society itself…and here I thought you'd smuggled in a dead body."

"Oh _really?!_ " Nya paws through her backpack again, this time pulling out the scroll with much more delicacy and care than beforehand. "Then take a good look at THIS—!”

Kai snatches it up with significantly less grace, rolling it open on the table. At a first glance, it's nothing more than a simple map of the land, just as he's always known it to be.

But learning that the coastline consists of strange letters is a _tiny_ bit weird.

"The outline of the island…it's an engraving of words…"

Okay, he's a _little_ fascinated now. Freaked out? Definitely, but also fascinated.

"I told a friend I was trying to figure out how to translate it…but I actually already know what it says because it's in the same language Dad used to write with," Nya explains, watching the realization fill Kai's eyes. "I just wanted you to be the first to know the meaning because…if it has anything to do with our parents…"

Kai watches as Nya shrinks into herself—bold in what she's doing but less so with sharing it with another person. Kai, meanwhile, is against digging deeper into _any_ of this, but…if Nya's trying to dive headfirst into this, then he might as well jump in with her. Just this once, for her sake.

"…so what’s it say, sis?"

She perks up at his encouragement, then tugs the scroll back into her line of sight. And Kai can't help it- he leans in a little too.

"…long before time had a name, there were the Four Golden Weapons of Creation…" Nya's voice matches word for word what's inscribed on the paper. "Four relics, wielded by the First Spinjitzu Master, brought forth Ninjago from nothing by harnessing the four core elements of creation. Yet used in tandem, their power few could handle, and so sealed from one another until the time of their reunification dawns again…"

Nya pauses, then sheepishly sticks out her tongue.

"…or at least, that's as best as I could translate. The symbols are extremely ancient, which _also_ probably aren’t as ancient as everyone thinks, _but—_ "

Kai ignores her rambling, noticing the little symbols in four vastly different corners of Ninjago: a gorilla among the western mountain range, a wolf in the northern wastelands, an…octopus? Jellyfish? In the eastern ruins, and a lion on an island not that far away from Ninjago City's southern coastline…

Was that supposed to be some kind of code? And what in the name of creation is Spinjitzu?! Oh he is so not here for this—

He levels Nya with suspicion, and her mouth clamps shut.

"…how do you know this isn't something someone whipped up for a really intense game of MoM?"

Nya sours, sticking out her tongue. “How do _you_ know that this isn’t a piece of Ninjago's true history, a remnant concealed for reasons unknown—!"

"—a remnant that expects me to believe that everything we know was created by a man and _magic?_ Ha."

"Not magic, idiot! The harnessed essence of the elements of creation, the building blocks of our very world!"

"More like the building blocks of fairy tales, like that's even more believable."

"It _is!"_ Nya insists, but eventually deflates into herself. She clutches her arms, her voice falling into a semblance of a whisper. "Kai…haven't you ever wondered if…our parents…were ever a little _too_ in tune with, say, fire and water…?"

Kai goes silent—the thought had occurred to him admittedly, but never like this. Sure, his dad had a tempered temper and never seemed to believe the weather was hot enough, and his mother always kept a cool head and took to the water like a fish during their daytrips to Ninjago City's beach, but…but…none of that could have anything to do with what Nya was trying to imply, let alone with how Ninjago was _created_ —!

"I'm just saying…" Nya takes his silence as an invite to carry on. "…If harnessing all the elements was possible for a single man, then perhaps it's not impossible for others to harness at least one…whether via the relics, or perhaps some kind of natural ability…"

Kai almost crushes the map in his grip.

"But what does that have to do with our parents?!"

Nya pointedly stares at the wall.

"…Nya, where did you even _find_ a map like this?"

Nya pointedly stares harder at the wall.

"…it was in one of Dad's chests in the closet…"

That's impossible—Kai's spent _years_ combing through their parents' left behind belongings (mainly looking for things to sell after failing to find any answers) and he'd never come across a map before…

…or maybe he had, at a time when he'd been too angry and sad and confused to _really_ pay attention to the contents of a chest he'd kicked over in a fury, especially when he apologetically and hastily shoveled everything back in (…you know, just in case they came back and scolded him for making a mess) and then never dared to venture into their room again.

"…Kai…?"

And now his sister's got new answers to questions no one had asked, and Kai's not sure if that's better or worse than just being outright ignorant of everything.

He sits at the table once again, the stack of bills somehow _less_ overwhelming than they'd been at the start of the day.

"…okay," Kai sighs as last, running a hand down his face. "So our parents _might_ have been involved in or are related to an island-wide cover up of Ninjago history. No big deal. Nothing we can do about it now, anyway—”

"What do you mean there's nothing we can do about it?!" Nya yelps, as if somehow _that's_ the most offensive thing. "If we could determine the location of the weapons and claim them, then we could prove that this…this _legend_ is true, and then society would stop enforcing _lies_ , and then…maybe…we'll find a reason for why our parents might've left…"

And then it clicks—no wonder Nya had been so dedicated to this. And no wonder she hadn't told him sooner.

"That's...a tall order for a freshman in high school." Kai scratches the back of his neck, trying to be sympathetic and not entirely shutting her down. But he's sure working up to it.

"So? Maybe a freshman in high school is just what we need to correct this wrong!" Nya pumps her fist into the air; Kai isn't amused. "How can I trust anything I learn ever again knowing we're being fed lies! The injustice of it all—!”

"Nya."

Kai stands once again, taking Nya's hand from the air and lowering it down gently. Shades of betrayal cross Nya's expression, but it's mostly hurt there- and Kai's lying if he says it doesn't guilt him just a little bit.

"I'm not saying you're wrong, or that this is something that shouldn't be looked into…I just need you to take a few steps back for a second and take it slow. Dismantling the establishment doesn't happen in a day—”

"But it could start in one!”

"—but this is a _bit_ bigger than both of us, and probably requires a little more thought and planning and resources and _people_ than we have right now."

Nya's lips press into a thin line. It doesn't stop them from quivering.

"I understand," she says coldly, but not defeated. This should concern Kai, but for now he settles for hugging her tightly. Nya tries to stay still, but she can't deny the warmth or comfort of Kai's hugs and eventually melts into it. "…I still think I did a good job on my adapted history report today though. Totally worth more than the 70 percent…”

"…Wait, you actually got something below a 90?! I don't know whether to be disappointed or impressed!"

"Kai, don't even _start—!”_

He lets it go for now, as he does everything else. But as with anything that happens related to Nya, it always comes back around…in one way or another.

* * *

The week eventually rolls into the weekend, although Sunday finds Kai and Nya variously busy. Kai raises an eyebrow at Nya doing laundry today—that's usually a Tuesday thing—but he pays it no mind as he fails to put the right amount of thickness in his latest creation of armor.

It goes like this for the next two hours, but fed up with his own frustration, Kai takes a break.

He drifts outside, where the skies have already turned to gold under the late afternoon sun. The breeze is gentle, whipping lightly at the clothes Nya set out to dry. Nya herself sits on the porch, surrounded by books. At first Kai just thinks it’s homework, but then—

“Hey, are you still looking into that Golden Weapon stuff?!”

“No,” Nya lies, stashing away the accursed map. “…I was just cross-referencing the map with locations of Ninjago. If the weapons are hidden across the land, I can hardly believe no one’s stumbled across them yet. I was seeing if there was a record of anyone that had…so far, no luck.”

She frowns, turning the page of her current book.

“…but I also think it’s because they’re hidden in the four most extreme climates of Ninjago.”

“Psh, you can tell that just by looking at the map. You’d be a fool to venture out that far.”

Nya makes a face at him; Kai only shrugs. He continues to skim the mountain of books Nya has barricaded herself with, but a single slip of blue paper catches his attention next.

“And what do we have here…?” He sings, pulling the paper from between one book's pages.

“It’s nothing!” Nya yells. She tries to snatch it back, but Kai swings it out of her reach. “…nothing I can do anyway.”

“…Nya, this is for a robotics club!”

“Yeah, I know…?“

“And you love building things! This is perfect for you!”

A small group of teens putting together a club for building robots and other mechanical marvels? Given the blood, sweat, and tears Nya put into crafting her motorcycle, Kai knew this would be a perfect place for her talents.

And better yet, no conspiracy theories or dark family secrets to dig up here.

“This look like an amazing opportunity, Nya—if you made something revolutionary, you never know who might take notice! Borg Tech is always looking for new interns—!”

“It’s just a _club_ , not a scouting opportunity! And you don't even like technology!” Nya huffs despite the blush on her face. “It’d mainly just be a distraction from everything else…”

“True, but we're talking about you right now. If this is something you're really interested in, why not join?"

"…I _can't_ ," Nya says, pain choking each word. "…there's an admittance fee. And you remember how that went with gymnastics, right?”

Kai blinks, his mind drifting back to the stack of bills that have gone untouched on their dining room table. It drifts even farther to him on the verge of tears one fateful evening, having to take away something Nya loved because they just couldn't afford it.

…now Kai kinda regrets hyping it all up, because he can’t backpedal and assure her they’d be able to work something out.

“Can’t join a club after school, can’t solve a cryptic centuries-old cover up conspiracy…what am I even good for?” she laments, her whole body sagging sadly. Kai’s heart breaks a little.

But…what else could he do?

“…If your circumstances will not shift, then perhaps it is you who must adapt…”

Nya gawks at Kai. “Whoa, what’s with the old man impression?!”

Kai sputters, “That wasn’t me…!”

A chuckle interrupts from nearby. The two turn to find an elderly man standing on the path up to their home. He strokes his beard while observing the siblings, and Kai just feels like he’s being spied on.

“...were you just waiting for the right moment to make an entrance or what?”

“ _Kai_ —!”

“No, I merely wanted to take a look around your shop…” The man takes small steps inside, bamboo staff tapping against the floor as he does so. “…but if you are otherwise preoccupied, I could take my business elsewhere—”

“No!” Nya wails, going so far as to take his arm and guide him deeper inside. “Please, come have a look…!”

Kai follows them in—this is their first outsider customer in a long while, and Nya does her best to point out the finest qualities of each product, few as they may be. She lets the man browse at his own pace eventually. He does so with a sharp eye and sharper scrutiny.

Kai and Nya sit with bated breath as the man prods around, appraising things with the end of his staff and humming noncommittally.

"Your metal…it's loud and heavy. Useful to slow one down; useless in the art of stealth."

Kai grimaces—who was this guy, thinking he could just waltz right in and insult his wares like that?!

"Don't be mistaken—sturdy armor and heavy-hitting tools are befitting for a samurai." He taps the armor on the wall with a nod of approval, but there's still a glint of curiosity in his eye. "You wouldn't happen to have anything suitable for a ninja, would you?"

“A ninja?” Nya asks, just as Kai shakes his head.

“You’re a long way from finding a ninja in these parts, old man.”

Something about that makes the old man go still. Kai feels a chill run up his spine when the man turns on him, his eyes distant and somewhat sad.

“…where do your parents happen to be, young ones?”

Nya gasps- but not before Kai lets out a grunt of anger. He’s tired of even thinking about them this week, let alone having someone constantly bring them up. And he can’t really yell at Nya for that, but he certainly can take it out on this strange old man who has some nerve bringing it up—

“They’re not here, and they’re never coming back,” he says with a deep scowl. “What matters is I’m here, and I’m doing my best, and I'm going to be a better blacksmith than my dad ever was! And this shop is called 'Four Weapons' not 'For Browsing', so if you're not going to buy anything, then go pedal your insults and insensitive questions somewhere _else_."

"Kai!" Nya hisses, but the man just wearily sighs under his breath. Kai doesn't like it. It sounds too close to pity.

“…I see. Too bad, then.”

He makes his way past Kai, giving the teen one last look over his shoulder.

"Thought I'd found something special…"

The way he says that brings Kai back down a bit—not enough to stop feeling mad, but enough to maybe catch onto the idea that there was more to this visit than he realized.

Kai moves to at least apologize, but the man has already rounded on Nya, who -unlike Kai- has wisely chosen to keep her mouth shut. He peruses her for a moment before nodding, reaching into his pocket.

"You may have no objects worth my purchase, but you, I believe, are worth an investment."

He drops a small pouch; Nya catches it with surprisingly fast reflexes. The man hums, pleased, and decides then and there to take his leave. Nya peeks into the pouch, and finds way more money than she could ever accept for free—

"Oh no, wait, I can't-!"

But by then, the old man is already gone, his work here done.

"…way to scare off a perfectly good customer, Kai." Nya wastes no time in coming after him, with a verbal trashing which Kai will admit he might deserve. But she just got paid for standing there! Why is she complaining?!

"Tch, like he was even going to buy anything…"

"He might have if you had a better attitude!"

Kai just turns away from her, knowing he's not coming out of this argument victorious.

He scowls at the family picture hanging on the wall instead, with everyone smiling in the face of good times that weren't meant to last. He's got half a mind to just knock it down- Nya would never forgive him for it, but in this moment it'd be better than watching his own pathetic face stare back in the reflection.

"Hey, are you listening to me?! I _said_ that if you had just-"

"Just forget it." Kai removes his apron and tosses it who knows where. He's too tired for this. "…there was nothing he was looking for here anyway."

And the cycle will just begin the same tomorrow.


	2. But We Don't Wanna Sit Around No More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nya joins the Robotics Club after all and chaos ensues.

Master Wu returns home to his monastery, the journey including a hike up a cliff of stairs that does little to make him break a sweat. He strokes his beard all the while, pondering the potential boiling and bubbling within the two children he’d met today. Two siblings—so similar and yet so opposite—could be destined for more than what life seemed to promise them. It reminds him a bit of his own youth, with his own sibling.

But those are things to be pondered later. For now, he unlocks the front gate and enters the grounds where three ninja are training. One is running the course, fumbling a little but pressing on with unwavering determination. One is in front of a punching bag, heightening his strength with steady focus. One sits on the ground, focused on meditating and sharpening his senses. All of them are intent on honing what’s already strong about them.

“Students,” Wu greets. As if someone flipped a switch, all three are standing next to one another at attention.

“Sensei, you’re back!” they chime in unison. The middle one steps forward.

“Did you end up finding what you were looking for?”

The others’ eyes shine with equal curiosity. Wu nods, a tiny smile emerging from beneath his beard.

“I believe I have. A blossoming sapling that I trust will yield fruit, with the right amount of nurturing.”

The first ninja leans toward the second.

“Do you _really_ think he found some kinda magical sapling, or is it just another wacky metaphor?!”

“Beats me, it could go either way honestly.”

“Could you not just tell us what it is you were looking for?” The third ninja inquires, but Wu holds up a hand.

“The answers you seek will reveal themselves in due time. For now, you three must be focused on sharpening yourselves as ninja, and as a team. Any new obstacles to tackle will only bear more weight on your shoulders- and you are not yet strong enough to carry it all.”

The first ninja hisses again. “I still can’t understand him at all-!”

“Can it, Motor Mouth!”

The two proceed to bicker under their breath as the third steps forward, pondering quietly. Wu tilts his head in acknowledgement.

“Is there something bothering you?”

“Not...necessarily.” The third ninja removes his hood to reveal white hair and blue eyes, the puzzlement on his face in full view. “I merely question why you have selected us all as ninja in the first place. Ninja of the past have been known for their stealth, acts of espionage, support from the shadows, and even assassination—"

“—which is something I will never ask you to do,” Wu clarifies quickly. This seems to calm the trio somewhat, but the third presses on.

“…then that is all the more reason I am confused. After all, in this day and age… everything that a ninja could do, someone or something else could do better. Is it not archaic if not repetitive to have us become something that is no longer needed?”

“Yeah, he’s got a point,” chimes the second ninja, pulling off his hood and shaking around his mop of black hair. “Not that I’m against getting stronger and learning fighting moves, but…if there was ever a threat to the city, I’m pretty sure they’re more than capable of handling it themselves.”

“Especially since we gotta stay secret—like, why?! Shouldn’t the people know who’s jumping across the rooftops being vigilantes?!” The first one tears his hood off in a rush, poofy red-brown hair and freckled cheeks popping out. “I mean, if I saw some strange people running around doing ‘good’, I’d just have a lot questions rather than feeling safe…”

Wu holds in his sigh—the point of taking on students is to teach them things. And _on_ that list of things is trying to put events into a new perspective with the hopes that they’ll come to understand _why_ he does the things he does.

“As long as you believe that, so long will it be true.”

But also, the most important thing a student can offer is knowledge that the teacher themselves may lack.

“…all of you make very good points, and are not wrong in your judgement,” he begins, pacing in a circle around them. “The way of the ninja begins in a time long before any of you, when circumstances were different, and the land had need of saviors from the shadows. People had little way to defend themselves from threats they couldn’t perceive, and the ninja’s role was to circumnavigate any unforetold disasters.”

The first ninja bounces on his heels; the third leans in with clear interest.

“Diseases could be staved off by powerful medicinal mixtures ninjas crafted- or enemies could be tricked into thinking they’d been diseased, thanks to certain brews. Enemy attacks and impeding wars could be prepared for with espionage and surveillance by ninja spies. And yes, some threats too overwhelming to be dealt with peacefully would find their ends with a pointed strike from a blade from above, or an assault from a shadow left unchecked.”

The ninja shake in place, slightly intimidated. Wu twirls his staff before them.

“…but in these times, we have more organization. We have technology. And we have become complacent. If the foes from the past, long laying dormant in hopes of a proper time to strike, were to act now, no amount of peaceful protest, artillery, or police would be enough to stop them. That is why we need to fight their kind with something they are familiar with—and something they are right to fear.”

“And that’s…the ninja?” asks the mop-head.

“So ninja,” whispers the freckled one.

“The truth is, students, I once sealed away a persistent evil as a last resort to stop him from turning everything into his own image. But there is a way to break that seal, and he’s always known it, and it’s only a matter of time before one day he finds the means to bring himself back. And when that happens, we need to be ready. He is beyond anything this new era is capable of handling, and not knowing when he will strike puts us at a disadvantage.”

“That is not comforting,” says the white-haired ninja.

“That is why this city needs protectors from a time long thought past. That is why we need the ninja. That is why…I need you.”

Finally the words start to sink in- the ninja relax their shoulders and even gain looks of determination, which makes Wu’s heart swell with pride. The path may be bumpy, but he is certain they will learn quickly…but, not until all the pieces are put into play, of course.

So, deciding this is a good note to end on—and realizing the sun has set—Wu makes his way towards the door of the monastery, followed by the horde of ninja and a fresh set of questions. He holds up a hand, silencing them all.

“Come now, ninja. I have given you much to ponder over, and I suppose that’s enough training for the night.”

“But Sensei—!” the trio protests.

“No arguing, off to bed with you now—you all have school in the morning.”

And now the three groan in collective disgust.

* * *

Jay, Cole, and Zane are—admittedly—an odd bunch. The three of them just stood out a little too much from the rest of the students, for better or worse. Vibrant personalities, quirky habits, right down to their looks... They differed so wildly from one another, yet all were targeted by the student body for various—and remarkably invalid—reasons.

Jay Walker is one of the smartest people in the sophomore class, made all the more glaring when you account for the fact he’s technically moved up a grade (the truth is, his birthday was on the cut-off point and he got lumped with the older group, but saying he skipped a grade always sounds cooler). Science and math came naturally to him, and it’s not like he _wouldn’t_ help the other students if they’d _asked_ , but instead they choose to ridicule him for doing the things they cannot. And it’s not his fault he can _really_ get rambling when on a subject he likes, or when he’s passionate about a topic, or if he’s hooped for whatever reason—but it may be part of why he chooses to hide his face behind an orange scarf so often. If anyone asks, it’s just fashion. 

Zane Julien, meanwhile, serves as the student council president, in part to understand how other students tick and also because no one else really wanted the position. He does his best to hear everyone out on their problems, but the boy just has some habits that others have a hard time connecting with. For things he doesn’t understand, he tries to ask around, but sometimes his over-inquisitive nature and tendency to miss sarcasm leaves him as the butt of a joke. He bears the brunt of the scorn the other kids lob at him, but most of the time, his quirks also leave him oblivious to the remarks anyway. (Don’t make fun of his snowflake sweater vest though—that’s his favorite).

And Cole Brookstone—who some suspect isn’t even actually his name, it’s too perfect— _seemingly_ excels at nothing academic but his teachers believe that’s more due to lack of _trying_. Especially since everywhere outside of class he’s giving his all...sometimes too much all, if you think back to the time he took out a _wall_ during dodgeball. Strangely, he’s never really done anything _wrong_ , but with him always wearing headphones and looking generally disinterested in everything, people just outright decide they don’t like him (which sucks, because for his friends, he’d willing throw himself under a bus, or throw the bus itself, no questions asked. Dude’s a huge softie).

So, all of them have kind of a—still illegitimate—reason to be so generally avoided at all costs (but hey, at least they weren’t like those kids at Darkley’s. Yikes.)

Anyway, such wildly different personalities wouldn’t normally be seen together, but there were three reasons why they stuck together.

One: they were the only ones who could tolerate each other during lunch. There’s strength in numbers, and naturally gravitating to one another when the cafeteria ran out of places to hide was inevitable. Plus, Zane makes his lunches homemade and they are _delicious_.

Two: they actually balance each other out. Jay tutors Cole and helps Zane understand things he otherwise wouldn’t, Cole protects both Jay and Zane from particularly nasty bullies, and Zane comes up with ideas for new inventions for Jay to work on and also feeds Cole cake on Wednesdays. It all works out very nicely.

And three: well, that last one’s a secret. Maybe not for long, but we can at least try to keep it under wraps for a while.

Anyway.

In a combined effort to appeal to the student body—through Jay’s ingenuity, Cole’s creativity, and Zane’s curiosity—the three have decided to establish a robotics club. It sounded good on paper, with a place to hang on after school, exchange ideas with others and get people talking, and maybe make something really cool in the process. Cole would even provide music—given that he’s really only here to support his friends—and Zane would bring snacks.

Which…brings us to now.

“Would someone care to tell me why we’re currently standing in an empty warehouse?!”

Cole arrives in a flourish—sweaty, worse for wear, and just a little bit annoyed. Jay jumps when he appears and grins sheepishly; Zane’s face just lights up as he waves.

“Okay, listen, I know this seems bad but _maybe_ it’ll work out—!” Jay holds up his hands when Cole thunders over to him.

“I thought you were going to use the metal shop to hold the club?! Why are we nowhere near the school?! In a place where there’s nothing to work with?!”

Jay can barely keep Cole from towering over him, but thankfully Zane's hand on his shoulder pulls Cole back down a bit.

"Allow us to explain," Zane intervenes, gesturing towards Jay. Jay nods, grateful for the opening.

“Right. _Look_ , when Zane tried to register the club, the rest of the student council wouldn’t let us take the metal shop, even if it wasn't being used after school. Said it was 'too useful' to waste on a club no one was gonna join anyway…”

Jay buries his face in his scarf. Cole deflates a bit, running a hand down his face.

“Of course they would say that.”

“Yeeeaaah…but they _did_ say we were still welcome to try if we found a new location, so…I asked my parents if I could use one of their spare warehouses.”

“And I for one find it quite fitting for our endeavors,” Zane interrupts, gesturing around the area. “There is plenty of space for our operations, allowing for less creative limitation, and the location is actually rather accessible—”

“Are you crazy?!” Cole yelps. “We’re, like, at least six blocks from the SCHOOL! And the buses were running late and I had to WALK!”

Zane merely blinks as Jay proceeds to throw himself to the ground in anguish. The sound he makes creates a dull thud that regenerates through the whole building. It’s not a terribly pleasant omen.

“Cole’s right though- who in their right mind is going to walk a third of the way across town just for this?!” Jay rolls onto his stomach, tapping at the ground with his hand. “The only reason I agreed to hold it here was because the stupid school didn’t believe the club was worth funding on their property. But nothing about this place screams ‘hey, this is where I want to spend my time and money after school!’ Sheesh.”

Cole joins Jay in defeat on the floor, so Zane chooses to reassess their location. Sure, the warehouse is sturdy enough and clean enough, but lacks any vibrancy or personality that would be considered welcoming. Few windows line the top of the warehouse. The wind makes the walls creak with every breeze. To an unsuspecting individual, the place might appear haunted…or a good place to meet one’s unsuspecting demise.

“It just…needs a bit of work,” Zane finally concludes. “The foundation is there; it just requires a bit of polish, so to speak. Were we to get started on the purpose of this club, it might start to feel more fitting.”

“Well, that’d be possible if we had more people, but right now we’re less of a club and more of a tragic comedy trio,” Cole laments. “…but Jay, didn’t you say you managed to give away one of our flyers?”

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Jay scratches his neck, sitting back up. “But, well, she seemed more interested in helping to spread the word than actually joining us…she looked super smart though, I mean, she had a TON of books on her when I crashed into her—”

“Oh my goodness you didn’t—”

“It was an _accident!_ And she was really cool about it!”

Cole sighs, rubbing his temples. “Well, let’s hope this one random chick had better luck drumming up interest than you did…”

“Hey!”

“Not to interrupt your riveting discussion, but someone’s approaching the door,” Zane says. The other two immediately whip around towards the door, where a single knock echoes out through the building. 

"FINALLY!" Jay exclaims, running over. "As soon as they open the door, I'm gonna greet them so hard…!"

Silence fills the air as the boys wait with anticipation, but then the loud revving of an approaching vehicle roars from outside. In the next moment, Cole soars across the floor to push Jay out of the way, just as the doors bust in and a motorbike tears clean through them. It does laps around the warehouse with reckless abandon and popping a wheelie all the while. The rampaging cyclist manages a few donuts off to the side before riding right up next to the boys and skidding beautifully to a complete stop.

The trio just gapes in response. The rider takes off her helmet and tosses her wind-whipped ponytail over her shoulder.

"How's THAT for a dramatic entrance?!"

The trio collectively remains stunned silent. Their next course of action is to all speak up at once.

"Greetings! Welcome to Robotics Club!" announces Zane, just like he rehearsed.

"How in the world did you not break the doors off the hinges…?" Cole asks, inspecting said doors with morbid fascination.

"It's you…" Jay says, hurrying over as Nya hops off the bike. "You came…!"

Nya tucks her helmet under her arm and hits him with a cheeky grin.

"So we meet again! Surprise!"

"Haha yeah, good to see you." Jay shuffles in place. "…although I'm just realizing I never even got your name! Wow, was I really in that big of a hurry…?"

"I'm Nya! And yeah, you kinda were." Nya glances around uncertainly. "And this _is_ the Robotics Club, right? Please don’t tell me this was all part of some elaborate prank when I found that note on the metal shop door…”

“Yes!” Jay screeches, then backpedals. “I-I mean, yes this _is_ the Robotics Club, not yes it’s a _prank—"_

“Smooth,” Cole huffs as he passes by, waving in Nya’s direction. “Hey, kid. Sorry about the bad first impression, but yeah—they’re the robotics club. I’m actually just here for moral support. Welcome aboard!"

“Thanks!” Nya beams, excited and nervous and apparently not very sure of what to do with her hands. "Ah, um…what do you guys think of my bike? I built it myself, soooooo I wanted to show it off and demonstrate my skills. I guess it was a little overkill, though..."

"I…think I'm in love," sighs Jay, to which Cole elbows him in the shoulder for. “W-With the motorcycle, of course, ahaha. …no, wait—”

"I think it is incredible!" calls Zane, already having thoroughly inspected it yet still circling around it like a vulture. "And so aerodynamic! You truly designed this yourself?"

"You bet! Took me a looooong time, though…mostly had to use junk parks and fix them up.” Nya rubs her thumb along the cushioned handlebars. “My brother runs a smithy shop, so he had no problem fixing up what I found or crafting whatever was missing. Well, usually.”

Cole nods. "I'm impressed. Gotta say, I love the paint job too."

Nya grins—the very detailed portrait of Lady Iron Dragon sits proudly on the body of the bike. Glinting metal armor, striking orange hair, and a sword that cut through evil like a knife through butter. She challenged armies almost single-handedly, and Nya could only hope to one day be as cool as The Lady had been…no matter however long ago it may have actually been.

“This piece is my current magnum opus,” Nya declares, staring proudly at both her bike and painting. "A tribute to my love of Ninjago history, mechanical design, iconic woman figures of today, and the ability to not have to take the bus to school.”

“And I take it you wanted to joined robotics to create a new magnum opus?” Zane asks.

“If I’m lucky,” Nya chuckles. "…but anyway, you guys never told me who _you_ are! Sorry I got a little carried away there; I, well, don't usually get to talk about my interests much…"

Jay and Zane hum in complete understanding while Cole is the first to clap her on the back—which nearly sends her to the ground—and gives her a grin.

"Well _I'm_ Cole, a junior, and the guy in the sweater vest is Zane—" "Greetings!" "—he's a junior too, and over there trying to bury his face in his scarf like an ostrich is—”

"Jay! Jay Walker!" Jay interrupts, swooping in front of Nya and holding out his hand. "I, um, I'm glad you decided to join us. Your passion is the kind we were hoping to get for the club…so I'm really lucky I bumped into you!”

“Nevermind that our bar was set pretty low,” Cole whispers under his breath. Jay stomps on his foot. Nya takes Jay’s hand, smirking to herself.

“It’s nice to meet you guys too.”

With intros out of the way, Nya folds her hands behind her back and circles the room, sizing up the place. Zane follows her around and helpfully tries to suggest things to use all the space for, while Cole gets to bear witness to Jay swooning.

“Isn’t she amazing?! Likes machines, is super smart, is really cool, and is really pretty!” Jay’s bouncing a hole into the floor. “We’re going to get along great!”

“She’s gotta be a freshman though—otherwise she would’ve ran right back out the door as soon as she saw _us_ ,” Cole muses. “Huh, how nice. Someone not judging us for our reputation for once…”

Cole’s shoulders are assaulted as Jay starts shaking him. “No matter what, we can’t do anything to make her hate us! We. Can’t. Ruin. This!!!”

“Well that’s already going to be tough given our new weekend job—” Cole nudges Jay off him, dusting himself off. “—and no, you’re not allowed to tell her anything about that. We have to keep it secret no matter what.”

“But Coooole—”

Jay’s whine goes unfinished as Nya and Zane return. Zane’s still rattling off fun facts about warehouses while Nya’s got a wrench and screwdriver in her hand.

“So what are we going to build first?! You guys gotta have a plan in mind, right?!”

“To tell the truth, I really didn’t think we’d make it this far—” Cole’s cut off by Jay clamping a hand over his mouth.

“ _Actually_ , Zane and I have been cobbling something together. We were kind of annoyed at having to journey so far from the school just to get here, but come check this out…”

Jay leads the group over to a nearby worktable, filled with half completed blueprints and various schematics. He plucks what looks like a map out of a cup holder and unfolds it for all to see. Nya leans in closer with interest, Cole leans on Zane, and Zane is lenient about it.

“See, turns out this warehouse used to belong to the school before my parents bought it out, and there’s still a leftover basement tunnel connecting the two buildings. It travels under three streets and four blocks, meaning it’s about a half hour walk the way it is now…”

“Or twelve minutes by motorcycle above ground,” Nya adds.

“But if we reverse engineer the tunnel to work as a pneumatic tube transport, we would be able to cross the distance in less than five minutes!” Zane finishes. “Then we could have more time to actually do work rather than worry about transportation.”

Cole tilts his head to the side. “…is that even something we can legally do?”

“Well, my parents technically own half the tunnel, and the other half hasn’t been touched by the school in decades.” Jay shrugs. “I’m sure if we just so _happened_ to install a semi-automatic transport system in there, no one would even notice!”

“…I like this plan,” Nya declares. Jay beams in her direction. “But for our next project, can we build a giant mech?! Just to, you know, see if we can do it? And because it would be awesome?”

“Ooh, girl, I like the way you think—!”

“AHEM, could we even _afford_ to do something like that?! And at least finish the first idea before going on about the next…!” Cole interrupts before the two can scheme too hard on the concept. Jay’s on his way to make a smart comment in retort when Nya suddenly smacks the table.

“Oh, speaking of—!” Nya reaches into her bag and pulls out the cash the old man gave to her. “I’ve got my entrance fee! And…maybe a little bit extra that we can use. Maybe not enough to fund a giant mech, but it’s better than nothing?”

Nya tries to push the sack of money across the table. Jay stops it in its tracks.

“We…can’t accept this, especially since you’re _probably_ going to be our only member…and the rest of us didn’t exactly pay either.”

Nya blinks at this, a bit touched that they’d let her join even without payment, but the old man’s kindness from the day before shouldn’t be wasted. Instead, Nya smiles and overpowers Jay, forcing the bag into his arms. He stumbles with it, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Well, if that’s not my entrance fee, consider it an investment. A wise man once told me that if there’s nothing worth buying in a shop, then invest in something that will be.”

Okay, that’s not _exactly_ what he said—she’s paraphrasing, sue her—but the words do their job, and the boys are whipped into excitement once again. It’s Jay’s turn to grin as he sets the bag down and pulls out a fresh piece of paper to brainstorm on.

“All right then, there’s no time to waste! Let’s get a blueprint down so we can get started on a prototype! Cole, start sorting through the junk lying around here to see what we can use. Screws, metal pieces, anything!”

“I’m on it!” Cole yells. He starts heading off, but not before turning his DJ playlist all the way up on his phone and tossing it on a counter. Zane darts over to put it at a more reasonable volume, just in time for Cole's singing to be heard over it.

“Zane, I’m going to need the exact measurements of the tunnel’s length and circumference, so we’ll know how much material we need," Jay continues, obvious to the chaos behind him.

“I am on it,” Zane replies, already crunching the numbers in his head like he’s some kind of calculator. Nya watches Jay quickly draft out something and taps the table. The sketch he’s scribbled down already looks pretty intricate, but Nya can’t help but get even more inspired.

“Hey, I thought of something! What if we were able to connect the tube to our lockers?! That’d be less suspicious than running to the basement all the time."

“That's not a bad idea!” Jay waggles the eraser end of the pencil in her direction. “A little tricky to deploy, but it can be done.”

Encouraged, Nya continues. “ _And_ we can make it big enough to fit my motorcycle!”

“…I appreciate your enthusiasm! But hmm, we’d need to recalibrate the speed and velocity of the drop then…”

“Oh, I can do that! And here, if we used aluminum as the counter-conductor, we could reduce friction as well!”

“That’s _brilliant!_ ”

“That sounds like nonsense,” Cole declares as he dumps a pile of scrap beside them, but not even he can keep the smile off his face as the quartet get into the swing of things.

Zane deciphers the calculations of the actual tunnel and how big an approximate prototype should be, so he starts piecing it together with the scraps Cole finds and the ideas Jay and Nya have already brought to life. Cole keeps dancing around the room, picking up anything that looks useful and sampling the mini cakes Zane pulled out from the fridge. Jay and Nya, meanwhile, continue to flawlessly bounce ideas off one another and come up with a blueprint in record time—also while stuffing their faces with the mini cakes.

“Soooo…” Jay begins while measuring out a piece of tubing. “That friend you were with yesterday, do you think she’d be interested in joining too?”

“Oh, Olivia?” Nya’s head pops up from where she’s scribbling on a schematic. “Ah, probably not. She’s already in the sharp-shooting club and the occult club, and she’s not as…detail-oriented when it comes to projects. Plus she's more into abstract concepts…like zombies and the undead.”

“Oh cool, Zane’s actually in archery—maybe they’d get along,” Cole muses, sitting on the table flipping through the music on his phone. Nya glances at Zane; Zane takes a break from what he’s doing to suddenly whip out a bow and arrow, firing it at a hanging sign. The sign snaps clean off, the sudden sound startling Jay.

“Hey hey, don’t go destroying property! My parents might give me a stern talking to over it!”

“It was destined to corrode and collapse anyway; I merely sped up the process,” Zane says in his defense. Jay makes an undignified squawk, and Nya just laughs, surprised by how comfortable she sounds.

Sure, she’s known Olivia longer and has had her fair share of good times- and getting free smoothies on a regular basis is something she’ll never complain about. But being able to fall into easy conversation with Jay, Cole, and Zane is…nice.

She smiles to herself as Jay gets her hyped about another idea, Cole loses himself to his favorite song, and Zane opens up yet another box of homemade baked goods. This…is something she could get used to.

* * *

Three hours pass faster than any of them care to track, with Zane putting the finishing touches on the prototype and Jay and Nya still trying to iron out every last detail. Cole, after picking through all the junk, has delegated himself to keeping track of the snacks and making sure the music stays upbeat.

“So if the school end is through the lockers, maybe we could connect the other side to the lockers here?” Nya suggests, gesturing to the set not too far from the warehouse entrance. “That way the entrance dimensions and the exit dimensions would be nearly equal.”

“And would make it easier for the tunnel to go both ways, if we ever needed to,” Jay agrees.

Zane demonstrates this with the prototype, a paper clip, and a vacuum—he drops the paper clip into the entrance side of the tube, then uses the vacuum to pull it from one end to the other. The paper clip has a rough landing, which Zane notes quickly on a clipboard. But, it _does_ work.

“Hmm, we will have to rethink the brakes, double check safety measures, and reevaluate the strength of the suction, but otherwise it is within operable range,” Zane declares. Nya and Jay whoop out cheers and share a high five.

“I’ll start constructing the brake system!” “I’ll start ordering the parts!”

“Congrats—you guys proved it can work,” Cole says through the last bite of the last cake. “But it’s getting a little late now, we should probably head home. We got a lot done today, and we should be proud.”

“'We'? By my calculations you only did about 27% of the work,” Zane points out.

“Hey, I supervised!”

While Cole and Zane bicker about the precise percent Cole contributed, Nya halts what she's doing and goes pale in the face. Jay notices just a little too late; Nya's already whipped out her phone and lets out a shriek upon witnessing the time.

"Oh no, I was supposed to be home half an hour ago!" She abandons her current project, flinging herself across the room. "Kai is going to _kill_ me if he hasn't already died from panic…!"

"Is Kai your brother?" Jay asks, slowly following Nya around in her frenzy.

"Yeah, and he's like, stupid overprotective…not that I don't appreciate it, but he also blows things waaaay out of proportion sometimes."

"Sounds like Jay," quips Cole; Jay throws a rag at him.

"Perhaps we should accompany you part of the way—even with your motorcycle, there have been rumors of unsavory types roaming the streets at night lately," Zane suggests. "If nothing else, there's strength in numbers."

"Yeah, and we can keep talking about future projects too!" adds Jay with sparkling eyes. Nya's halfway on her motorcycle by now, more than ready to peel out even if it means dealing with Kai. But the looks the trio gives her are really, _really_ hard to say no to.

"…well, I can handle myself you know."

"Yeah, obviously." "I do not doubt it for a second." "You could probably break a watermelon with your bare hands if you wanted to."

Jay doesn't even _try_ to be ashamed when Cole and Zane stare with bewilderment. Nya snorts behind her hand, shaking her head.

"…but I don't really want this to end so soon either. Shall we head to the edge of the city, then? I live over in Ignacia, which isn't far, but it still takes a while on foot."

Everyone cheers in agreement, now all too eager to gather their things and take to the streets.

And, Ninjago City at night is a _sight_ to behold. All the lights come to life even as traffic slows down and the city begins to sleep. There’s always something going on, whether it be late night games of basketball at the court, kids begging for one more hour at the arcade, or couples headed out for a night on the town. Music plays softly from peoples’ windows, the movie theater beckons for the last showing of a feature…and Nya’s never actually been out this late before. Nevermind with a group of friends.

Jay points out the experience would be made even better from the back of her bike. Smirking, Nya promises to give everyone a turn riding on the back of her bike sometime. For now though, she walks it alongside the rest of them, chatting idly and taking in the nightlife. Cole points out all the cool hangouts—and food places—they should hit up some day. Jay tries to talk the group in making a pitstop at an arcade. Zane just wants to go to the park within Ninjago City Gardens.

"Why the park?" Nya asks.

"It is one of the few places in the city where serenity persists," Zane says. "This whole place is a marvel of technology, but I like the park because it reminds me of where our roots began. It is a good place to re-center oneself."

"That's…oddly profound for someone so into what makes machines tick," remarks Jay

"Well I get where he's coming from—with how society makes us rush through everything, it's nice to be able to take a step back sometimes," says Nya. "In fact, that's kinda how I felt in robotics today…"

"Amen to that!" Cole pumps his fist in the air. "And if it means I get to eat more of Zane's snacks, I might just have to join for real!"

Zane pinches his forehead. "Cole, once again, you barely did anything constructive—”

" _I_ gathered the parts! Why are you downplaying that?! It would've taken Jay forever to move all the junk in the pile!"

"That's just because I was doing something actually important, like drawing up plans, coming up with ideas—!”

"Preeeetty sure that was me," interrupts Nya. They all fall silent. Cole’s the first to stifle his giggles, then Jay sputters behind his hands. And once Zane guffaws and loses it, so does Nya. They’re all so stupid, and they know it. Being able to share in something so simple is a feeling Nya’s really coming to like.

She doesn’t have to hold back with these guys about any aspect of her. Not only can they take it, but they can dish it back out just as well.

The merriment doesn't last long though, as their loud laughter attracts a frantic passerby across the street. He runs across the road without thinking, dodging two cars that nearly plow him over. Nya takes one look at the approaching maniac and nearly passes out.

"Oh jeez, THERE you are!" exclaims Kai, clutching at his heart as he approaches the group. He's got a bag full of everything but the kitchen sink slung over his shoulder, and Nya only hopes he remembered to lock the shop's door.

"Kai?!" Nya says, voice broken between surprise and embarrassment. Mostly embarrassment. "What are you doing here, I was just on my way home…?"

"Yeah, _sure_ you were! You were supposed to be back home _already,_ so I took the bus up to the school only to learn that this 'club' wasn't where it was supposed to be!" Kai fists his hands in his hair. "And then I had to walk up and down every block until I just so happened to find you—!”

"Why didn't you just call me?!"

"You know that we get charged per call! And on that note, why didn't you _text_ me and tell me you'd be late?!"

"I lost track of time, that's all! You didn't need to go on some grand rescue for me—!”

"How was I supposed to KNOW—!”

"Hey hey hey, let's take it easy now. The club just ran for a little longer than expected," Cole tries to intervene, but Kai's not having any of it. He stares Cole down likes a man possessed and scoffs.

"And who are _you_ all supposed to be?"

"They're part of the robotics club- you know, the one that _you_ were praising and encouraging me to join just yesterday?" Nya huffs.

"Hello!" Jay calls from the back.

Kai just grunts- none of them look like the sort that Nya should be associating with, and he's even still got some reservations about that Olivia girl. But just the same at least these guys don't look threatening. He could totally take them on in a fight if needed.

…Except maybe Cole, who's just a little too tall and a little too bulky for Kai _not_ to be intimidated by.

"So…you're Nya's brother," Cole declares, inspecting Kai like he's giving him a personal evaluation. "How come I've never seen you around school? You look like you should be in my class."

"Or mine," adds Jay.

Kai squints, lips pressed into a thin line. "It's complicated."

Jay clicks his tongue. "Awww, you can't just say that! It's only going to make me more curious!"

"Well it's not really any of your business—!"

"—everyone be silent for a second," Zane suddenly demands, holding out his hand. Cole, gaping, goes to chide him but Zane shushes him once more. "Stop…I do not think we are alone out here."

That gets everyone to go quiet, Kai and Cole in particular tilting their heads to hear better. There's a rattling in the distance, and the dancing of shadows around the edges of the streetlights just out of sight—

"Hey, kid…were you followed?" Cole asks under his breath. Kai’s face borders on indignant.

"Why the heck would I have been followed?!"

—and next thing anyone knows, Cole's punching the skull right off of an approaching skeleton.

"Oh my gosh is that the UNDEAD?!" wails Jay, just as more skeletons emerge from the dark.

"What the heck…?" asks Nya. She shifts into some semblance of a fighting position, only to make a face as Kai pushes her behind him. The skeletons continue to surround them, with one bigger four-armed skeleton heading the pack…alongside one seemingly human woman.

"I thought you said she was going to be alone by now," says the four-armed skeleton, giving the woman a skeptical look.

"I _said_ she'd be out here at around this time—whether or not she's alone is irrelevant, Samukai."

The woman takes a few steps forward, bringing her more into the light. There's a blue cape draped over her shark-themed soldier uniform, and a skeleton mask over her face.

"She has the map, and the knowledge of how to decipher it…Lord Garmadon said to take the girl, and that's exactly what we're going to do. No matter who or what gets in our way, especially when they were so kind to lead us right to her."

"…as you say, General."

The General nods once, then casts her hand out. All at once, the skeletons charge, some on foot, some on vehicles. Zane goes after the ones with vehicles, leaping into the air and popping their tires with well-placed arrows. Cole and Jay go after the ones on foot, with Cole flat-out swinging them around and Jay using their bones as makeshift weapons against the rest.

"This is where I'd say I've got a bone to pick with you, but I'm not picky at all!" Jay yells, stabbing one through the ribs with a femur. "Were these guys really just waiting to ambush us or what?!"

"It sounded like they are specifically after Nya—and they also mentioned Lord Garmadon," Zane says, ducking behind a car for shelter. "I am curious as to what has set them off…"

Jay panics, making a run for Nya, but is tripped up by a skeleton on the ground. He rolls and tumbles into Cole, who falls and topples another set of skeletons down like dominos.

"Ugh, either way, we are _not_ getting out of this in one piece," groans Cole from atop the bone pile.

"On the bright side, neither are the skeletons!" Jay chuckles wearily, waving a discarded humerus around. Cole slaps Jay's wrist and knocks it out of his hand.

While the others are preoccupied, Kai stays determined to act as a human shield for Nya, who refuses to run despite Kai's consistent and insistent warnings.

"Did you not hear them?!" he hisses when he's had enough of her protesting. "They mentioned 'the girl' and 'the map', and from what I can currently tell you're the only one here that fits both criteria for being their target!"

"I'm not going to run!" Nya shoulders him out of the way, falling into a cartwheel and bowling over three skeletons in a row. "Why should I leave and let you guys have all the fun?!"

"Nothing about this is FUN—!”

Kai's grabbed by two bony hands and tossed overhead, well out of arm's reach of his sister. Nya sees this as her chance to shine, twirling around and knocking around even more of them. Dodging around them is easy, as the vast majority of them have zero coordination. Watching them stumble and crash into one another also has an amusing sort of charm. In fact, she's almost enjoying herself. Fighting is a rush—it's tempting to say she wants more of it.

She runs over to help get Cole out of a tight spot, once he's back on his feet. But, forgetting to check her blind spot—and not hearing Kai's anguished cry in time—Samukai emerges straight out of the shadows and restrains Nya with all four of his arms. Cole goes to grab her—the General lands a well-timed roundhouse kick to the head. Cole falls like a tree, and a scream rips from Nya’s throat.

Kai can't breathe—this is like every one of his worst nightmares coming to life.

"Ahaha, got the prize!" Samukai snickers, as two other skeletons hurry over with a burlap sack.

"You're the best, Master Samukai!" they chirp while saluting. Nya struggles in Samukai's hold, but his four arms prove too strong of a prison as she’s slipped into the awaiting brown bag. Kai's dragging his body across the street, willing every inch of his body to move _faster_ as Nya vanishes from view and is slung over Samukai's shoulder like she's nothing.

"Hey, someone go after Nya!" he pleads, desperation bleeding into his words. He can't lose Nya—not like this.

"We kind of have our hands full…" grunts Zane. He's barely holding off three skeletons—who tore up their crashed cars for makeshift weapons—while Cole's getting overwhelmed with worse numbers. Regardless, Jay bursts from the bottom of a bone stack and makes a beeline for Samukai. He's tripped up by the sword of the General, who snickers as Jay skids along the asphalt and against a mailbox.

"Give back Nya!" Jay demands with a magazine resting on his head. The General throws her head back and cackles.

"Oh, stop worrying so much! We'll give her back…if she's a good girl and gives us the information we need. But either way, we'll be back to deal with you all soon enough, and permanently~!"

She cackles again, turning to follow Samukai and the wriggling sack that is Nya. Kai tries to gain his bearings again. Barely steady on his legs, he shrugs a skeleton off his back, then grabs another and hurls it at the General.

It shatters against her; she freezes, whirling on Kai in an instant. Kai swallows down a wince of weakness and forces himself into her intended path. She stops, appraises him, and isn't impressed with what she sees. She waves her hand as a final warning for him to move.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll scram with your life, kid, while you still got one," the General says. Kai can hardly focus on her, sight tinged red with the image of Nya slung over Samukai's shoulders like a sack of potatoes. "This doesn't have to be any of your business."

"It became my business when you decided to assault my sister!"

The General blinks; Kai goes to move again. She steps in his way this time, towering over him.

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble Firecracker, but she's gotta come with us. She knows too much to be left alone, and I don't like leaving any loose ends…"

She brandishes her short sword and points its tip towards Kai.

"…which now includes you, since you're so insistent on being involved."

In a panic—and only now fearing for his own life—Kai drops his bag, scattering its items across the ground. Not missing another beat, the General charges at Kai with an unhinged rally cry, the light of the moon glinting off the edge of the rushing blade—

—only to come to a screeching halt by the twin katanas Kai draws before him.

Shocked, the General is easily pushed back by Kai, who kicks the very helmet that old man once mocked out of his bag, into the air, and onto his head before coming at her once again. He checks her with his shoulder, sending her stumbling, and brings his blades down—but this time, it's her turn to parry.

"Oho, so you're _not_ entirely useless!" she exclaims, almost delighted at having some semblance of a challenge. "Too bad that your lack of experience will be the death of you!"

Kai grunts, straining against her push back. "If I have to carve through you to get Nya back, then so be it…!"

The General regains her footing, thrusting her sword at Kai in several quick jabs. Kai barely has the agility to block them all, jumping back to avoid the last few. She swipes at him—he flips backward and lands awkwardly on the tip of his foot. The General sweeps his leg out from under him—he expects that, managing to land on his hand and push himself back up into standing position. His balance is preserved.

"Good thing I was paying attention when Nya used to ramble on about gymnastics…" Kai mutters to himself while preventing his head from being sliced clean off.

The General attacks with a vengeance. Her grace from before ebbs away as bloodlust and fury rise in its wake. Kai has just enough power to deflect the blows, but finding an opening to his advantage proves difficult. Her attacks are almost airtight—except in the slight delay where she delights in nearly having him lose an eye.

Kai dives toward the space under her arm, hooking his own against her. She’s flipped over his head and slammed to the ground, sword now lost. It clatters against the street while sliding out of her reach. And in Kai's personal opinion, she should look a little more frightened than she currently does, given that it's now him towering over her with his katanas poised to strike if she so much as _thinks_ about moving again.

…but it doesn't matter. By now, the skeletons are long gone, and Nya along with them.

Jay's holding himself up with a light post, while Zane shoulders an exhausted and bruised Cole. And in the middle of street lies Nya's motorcycle, with Lady Iron Dragon's paint chipped where it initially hit the ground upon being abandoned. It only serves to remind Kai of what's been lost.

"Well, that was fun," the General hums, kicking upwards and dislodging the katanas out of Kai's hands. She rolls back to her feet with a staggering amount of flexibility—something she'd clearly been holding back with while toying with Kai. "But my work here is done now. And I _will_ be seeing you all again, sooner or later."

"Oh no you don't—!" Kai lunges for her, but she's ready for it. She plunges her foot into his stomach, turning his momentum against him. She laughs a bit at the look on his face, then spins a strange gadget on her wrist—and, somehow, manages to rip a purple hole in the fabric of space.

"…can this day stop getting weirder?!" whines Cole.

"That portal…it is not of this mortal plane," Zane muses. "It would be unwise for us to approach it as we are."

“No…Nya!” Kai yells, but his strength gives out the second he tries to pick himself up. Their foe sashays towards the portal, looking over her shoulder one last time at her victory.

"When they ask who vanquished you…you tell them it was General Number Two."

And with that, she vanishes beyond the portal, far beyond their grasp.

With the tension gone, Kai rolls onto his back, staring up at the unforgiving night sky as the rest of his body screams in pain. Jay's the first to limp his way over, looking as broken as Kai feels when he holds out a hand.

"You holding up?" Jay asks. It's the safest question he can ask, but despite that, there's no answer Kai can give that would be positive. Kai takes Jay's hand to assist himself up, but the look he gives Jay—and Cole and Zane approaching behind him—is anything but grateful.

"You…you guys could have done something! You were clearly comfortable jumping into a fight, and you knew they were targeting Nya, so why was I the only one trying to protect her?!"

Jay's too caught off guard and hurt to make a proper comeback, immediately shrinking back, but Cole swoops in with plenty of offense for the both of them.

"You think we _wanted_ to this happen?! You think we didn't try?! The whole reason we were out here in the first place was to keep an eye on her until she got out of the city, and we were fine until _you_ brought along those hooligans because you not only don't know what you're getting into, but also because you couldn't trust your sister!"

"I _do_ trust my sister—it's all of _you_ I don't trust!"

Kai shoves at Cole; Cole grabs Kai’s wrists with a grip that threatens to break his bones.

"Newsflash, _genius—_ we're not the ones that took her, so why are you wasting your anger on us who were only trying to help?!"

"Because there's no one else HERE—"

"I believe that is enough of that now," Zane's soothing voice intervenes, just as Jay reaches for Cole's hands and pries them off of Kai's wrists. Cole's grip goes slack immediately, his face guilty. The way the three of them all share looks of concern makes Kai feel sick so he looks away, face flushed. Zane, however, doesn't leave him alone.

"You have every right to be upset, but targeting that frustration at us is not fair. If you would just take a step back for a moment, we could work together to plan our next move—"

"No," Kai insists, nudging Zane out of the way and heading down the street. "I'm going to the police to report my kidnapped sister, I'm going to work on getting her back, and there is no 'us' and there is no 'our'."

"But you don't have to do it alone—" Jay speaks up for the first time in a while, but Kai whirls on him so fast with a glare so deadly Jay's words instantly retreat right back down his throat.

"I _never_ want to see you three ever again."

And okay, Kai's knows he's being unfair at this point, even if Zane hadn't already spelled it out for him point blank. But every time he looks at these guys now, he can only see 'what ifs' for how Nya could've been saved, and that's not something he wants to deal with right now

So he does the only thing he can do—he clutches his arms to chase off the chill of the night, and marches down the sidewalk to the police station. He vaguely hears Zane tell him he's going the wrong way. Kai ignores him- at least, until he gets around the block and is able to reroute once he's out of their view.

"Well, that could have gone better," Cole says at last, releasing a sigh he'd been holding. Zane puts a hand on his shoulder while Jay proceeds to pace back and forth muttering to himself. Just watching him is giving Cole vertigo, so Cole steps in front of him and gently makes him stop. Jay shudders a bit, but when he looks back up at Cole, there's a mix of determination and disappointment that breaks his heart.

"…we gotta tell him," Jay fiercely declares. Cole groans in response…but that doesn't mean he necessarily disagrees.


	3. The Longest Night of Kai's Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai hits a dead end in the search for Nya; help—and answers—appear from unexpected places.

The candle in the shop’s open window flickers with the light breeze whistling in. Kai sits beneath it, on the outside, watching the purple sky with a heavy heart. Well, sitting is a generous term—it's more like full-on vibrating with how much his leg is bouncing, as if he could get up and go at any given moment.

But there's nowhere to go. Where they took his sister, he can't follow. When he tried to tell the police Nya had been taken by skeletons and a crazy lady into the Underworld, they'd hid their laughter and promised a half-hearted search. And the three that had been with her when she was taken…if he ever saw them again it would be too soon.

Deep down he _knows_ it wasn't really anyone but the villains' fault. But with no one to vent to, his mind could only ping pong the fault among everyone involved—and not the least, himself. If he'd been faster, less hesitant, more insistent that she _leave_ rather than trying to preserve her pride… he'd been worried about something like this happening to her on the way home, hence why he'd gone looking in the first place…only for it to occur while he was there.

Just his luck, he supposed.

A lump festers in his throat; he may never see her again. All because she found a map their stupid dad left behind.

…and now he's back to blaming his parents. He can't take this anymore—he has to go outside.

It's still dark, and nearly the morning of the next day. There's no point in sleeping when every bit of him is alert with adrenaline or crippling guilt.

He tries to clear his thoughts, even for just a moment of peace. But his thoughts are relentless, always looping back to how things could have been different, to outcomes he'll never see. They niggle at him about everything he did wrong, everything he could have changed, done better with—

His head pounds in pain as a result. Though, that just might be from trying really hard not to cry.

It should be a _little_ more alarming when the soft crunching of footsteps creep up the path to his house—especially this late at night—but Kai can't even bring himself to move. He's got only enough energy to spare a glance at the return of the old man, appearing even more somber than he had last time.

They lock eyes. Kai refuses to be the first one speak. After all, it's obvious that he wants to know what this geezer is doing back here— he doesn't need words for that.

"…the stars of the night can sometimes help us feel less alone, but even their brightness pales in comparison to the company of another person."

Kai scowls—this man absolutely has the worst timing ever

"If that's supposed to be your complicated way of asking to join me, then you're better off turning around and going home, old man."

"You know, 'Wu' is much more preferable to the 'old man' that you insist upon. And I have been told you might be in need of a second opinion. Perhaps it is you that should be joining me."

Kai doesn't care—he just wants to be alone and be angry at the unfairness of the world, and he can't do that while someone's watching. 

"…I am sorry about your sister," Wu says, and Kai's two steps away from a proper emotional breakdown. "…but I believe I can help you."

"Oh, what?" Kai whirls on him, vision going red. "You're gonna tell me you can rip a hole right to the Underworld too?"

"Maybe I can. Or, potentially, I could make it so you'd be able to withstand the journey."

This properly catches Kai's attention at last. When he looks up, he sees the faintest of smiles upon Wu's face. He digs his fingers into his knees.

"So, what? Are you going to _share_ this magical answer with me, or are you going to stand there and keep your secrets?"

"That depends—do _you_ have the patience to listen to an old man prattle?" Wu leans on his staff, smiling both bitterly and with amusement. "Or perhaps I should peddle my insights somewhere else."

Kai stares at the sky silently asking for mercy—all this about patience again!—but he nods, only giving in because what else is he going to do? Wu hums in approval, taking this as his invitation to hobble his way over. He takes a precious moment to admire the sky, takes a seat on a nearby rock, and then finally starts talking. Kai shifts his own position in a bid to better pay attention.

"The four-armed skeleton you encountered was Samukai, the leader of the Skulkin. They are fallen warriors who refused to accept their deaths with dignity, and are now punished to walk through darkness as a result... Lord Garmadon himself, me, and even Lady Iron Dragon were responsible for sending quite a few of them down there."

Wu looks wistful, as if recalling a much simpler time, but the graveness returns as fast as it left.

"...as for the General, her origins I know not, nor how she was able to tear open a way to the Underworld. But I do know that both she and the Skulkin are serving under Lord Garmadon, and that means things are far worse than I have ever thought."

"…Lord Garmadon? Underworld?! What's going on?!" Kai demands. "First Nya finds that awful map to translate, then you show up, then those crazy skeletons…what about it is so important to them and to you, and why would they take my sister?!"

"Child, everything is connected, even if by the thinnest and most distant of threads."

"I can't call you old man, but you calling me 'child' is fine-?"

"Kai," Wu says sternly, and Kai goes rigid—he's _definitely_ sure he's never mentioned his name to this guy. Then again, maybe he just picked up on it when Nya yelled at him the last time…but the way Wu says it feels _way_ more personal than Kai is prepared for.

"…what's so important? How about everything in Ninjago itself?" Wu scoffs again, turning to stare off into the distance. "Everything we know in Ninjago stemmed from what is penned upon that map. And like it says, long before time had a name, the First Spinjitzu Master forged the four Golden Weapons that allowed him to shape Ninjago into what we see today…"

Wu casts his hand out, and as if by some strange not-so ancient magic, Kai swears the stars are rearranging themselves to follow Wu's story. That, or Kai's just stayed up way too late already.

Wu speaks of the four Elements of Creation that were imbued into the weapons: Earth, the Element that serves as the unrelenting foundation that supports all other things; Lightning, the Element that inspires the power to take action in one's life; Ice, the Elements that allows for steadfast beliefs despite the circumstances; and Fire, the Element that invokes the will to live and the passion to persist. With those four building blocks, the First Spinjitzu Master pulled this land out from nothing at all, filling the space that remained with another, equally essential element…

"Would that be…water?" Kai guesses. Wu gives him a tap on the head with his staff.

"Perhaps you're sharper than you first appear, young one."

"Hey."

"…But as you can imagine, those four powers together could not be wielded by anyone who did not already possess the capabilities. Thus, the First Master passed these relics down to his sons to protect them from the wrong hands. Unfortunately, the elder brother _became_ that wrong pair of hands, and swore to someday possess them all. That brother was struck down into the Underworld, and the younger brother was forced to hide the weapons away, guarded by four fearsome beasts pulled from other realms. But, in the fear of his own eventual passing, the younger brother recorded the locations of where he hid them upon a map. That map was given to a friend of the younger brother, a man entrusted with the responsibility that the map would reach the hands of the next generation, so if the elder brother returned in a new age…there would be those ready to stop him."

Wu's eyes go soft, his head beginning to hang.

"….but it appears I have made a slight miscalculation."

Kai blinks—this is a lot to take in, after all—but he shakes that off and tries to make sense of what was just said.

"Wait, what do you mean 'you' made a miscalculation? I mean, I know you're ancient, but you know so much about all this, and yet you speak like you've actually lived through it all…"

"Because I have." Wu's brow furrows deeper. "The First Master, he was my father. The Dark Lord Garmadon, he is my brother. And the one who has to get the four Golden Weapons back from the four distant corners of the land…is me."

"You're the _younger_ brother?" Kai gasps. "But…but you're so old—"

"Ex _cuse_ you—I am not old, the world is just younger than you think. What constitutes as ancient history for you is only a few mere centuries in actuality. The way people talk about it makes it seem so much longer ago than it was…and for good reason." Wu doesn't bother to elaborate, instead pressing on. "And moreover, the man I entrusted the map to was none other than your father, who was not only a master of his craft, but a treasured friend. I had assumed his possession of the map would be something he'd have been proud to share with you."

Kai goes sour at the mention of his good-for-nothing father yet again, but at least that explains Wu's previous inquisition about him. Figures he'd turn out to be some old family friend Kai wouldn't have known about otherwise.

"Tch, some friend he was. He disappeared without a trace one day along with my mom and didn't tell me or Nya about the map. Nya found it by happenstance."

Wu actually looks sad at that; Kai doesn't know why. He'd be pretty ticked if his friend couldn't keep up with the one job given to him.

"…He and I fell out of contact shortly after your sister was born—I assumed the tasks of family life had him heavily occupied, and he wished to distance himself from his past. So I chose to stay away, in an attempt to give him some peace. Had I known you two were here, abandoned, alone…I would have come sooner. And I apologize for having not."

Kai pretends that doesn't yank at his heartstrings.

"…so when you came by the shop that day, you were just looking for the map…"

"Nonsense. I came for something greater…" Wu taps Kai with his staff once again. "…you. And your sister, if you both were willing. But it seems Garmadon has gotten to Nya before I could…and as you are now, you lack what it takes to face those who dwell in the Underworld."

Kai goes to make a sharp comment, but as he faces Wu he finds the man already staring him down, looking more serious than he's ever been so far. Kai recoils; it's a tad bit too intense for him to handle.

"Garmadon cannot currently reenter this realm. And if he is sending others to do his dirty work and has knowledge of the locations of the weapons, then we must absolutely get them first. And as long as they don't have the weapons, they will have need of your sister, and no harm will come to her until you've trained enough to get her back."

"…Trained? Trained for what?"

The edge of Wu's staff jabs into Kai's chest. Which is fine, Kai didn't particularly like breathing anyway.

"Fire burns brightly within you, Kai, and I believe that together we can draw it out, harness it, and allow you to become a Spinjitzu Master."

"And…learning this Twistitzu is going to help me get Nya back?"

"Spinjitzu! And yes."

Kai blows a stray piece of hair out of his eyes. He _really_ doesn't want to do this and waste more time than necessary, but…it's obvious he's not cut out to go after Nya, even if he knew how _and_ where to get to her from. There's really nothing else he can do, short of hunting down that crazy woman and hitchhiking a ride into a world that would kill him the moment he stepped foot into it. Might as well gain an advantage where he can.

"…ugh, okay, fine. We'll do it your way…when do we start?"

* * *

Immediately, and without mercy, as it were.

Kai’s really regretting not working out just a little more as his fingers dig into the side of a cliff. Pounding at hot metal all day certainly helped to tone muscle, but nothing could prepare him for what had to be a thousand foot climb up the side of the mountain that towered over the clouds.

“There’s a whole set of stairs just over there, you know!”

“Perhaps.” Wu says like he's never used aforementioned stairs before, alighting from foothold to foothold on the cliff in a delicate dance. “But the easy path more often than not lacks an enlightening destination.”

“Well I’m pretty sure we’d be going to same place this time…”

Only spite and the desire to just get this over with spur Kai on long enough to reach the end of the otherwise endless mountain. He falls into a heap of limbs at the peak, glaring at the set of perfectly good stairs taunting him from not so far away.

“You have passed the first test, the trial of determination,” Wu declares with far too much fanfare, holding a hand down to help him up. “But soon the real challenge will begin…!”

“You’ve gotta be messing with me right now… How long is this training going to be? Aren't we in a bit of a rush?!"

"Patience," Wu assures. He gestures Kai toward two large doors opening the way into someplace big, and old, and decidedly not the first place one would think of when it comes to training. "You will be ready when you are ready. Not a minute sooner."

Wu then snickers privately—Kai seethes just at the sight of it—but then he moves to open the gates of the monastery before them. The doors open with a whoosh; Kai gets his first look at the red and gold-trimmed décor, the marbled walls, and the many, many pillars depicting golden dragons. It seems more of a place of worship and grace than punching and kicking and…spinning.

"A monastery though? You expect me to learn to fight in a place of peace?!"

"Not fight— _train_ ," Wu insists. "To be a ninja, you must see what others cannot."

Kai is fully convinced this man is making things up on the spot. "But there's nothing here?!"

Wu scoffs, nudging his staff towards one of the many, many golden dragon statues. He tips its chin, the head popping back to reveal a big red button. That…does give Kai some concern, but not nearly as much as when Wu pushes it.

All the pieces of seemingly innocent décor suddenly twist, turn, grow, shrink, and warp into instruments of combat. Blades jettison out of the walls, carousels of saws and axes spring up from the floor, punching bags and morning stars dangle from the feet of the dragon statues…

Suddenly the 'place of peace" looks so much more devastating.

Wu certainly doesn't fear it—he charges in full-force with a speed that no old man should ever possess, weaving through the poles, ducking under blades, and twirling above spikes. Each move is poised to perfection, a craft honed for over a century, and right before Kai's very eyes, the man falls into a spiral of light.

Now a cyclone of gold, Wu charges into the more deadly obstacles. He stops not even once as he rips right through them all, moving too fast for Kai to keep track of. It's not just memorization of the course at work, but muscle memory and instinct that propel Wu forward, and by the time he reaches the other side of the course, Wu spins right into a sitting position with a steaming pot of tea laid out in front of him.

Wu takes a sip, as if the feat of nature he'd just performed had been nothing out of the ordinary.

And instead of fearing for his life, as he rightfully should, Kai feels genuinely fired up for the first time in weeks.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" he yells, twirling around trying to copy the greatness he just witnessed. " _That_ was Spinjitzu?! Is all this gonna teach me how to do that cool move?!"

He springs on top of one of the pillars and strikes a crane pose; the pillar sinks rather pitifully under his weight and doesn't inspire nearly as much awe as Wu had.

"Oh dear."

Kai flushes, but Wu thinks nothing of it. He places his teacup down again, now emptied, and begins to brew a second pot of tea.

"Your next test: complete the training course before I finish my tea. Then we will see if you are ready."

Wu starts his tea from scratch, so Kai starts the training course from scratch. It whirls to life once again, imposing over Kai with its size and speed. But if Wu could do it, why couldn't he?

His first attempt sees him scoop up a wooden sword and weave his way around the dummies. That's simple enough—it's remarkably similar to fighting off the Skulkin. He gets too cocky though, finding himself kicked right off the platform and at Wu's feet. Wu takes a fresh sip of his tea; he remains unimpressed.

Take number two—Kai learns from his previous mistake and makes sure to avoid all the dummies before letting his guard down…but then he gets himself tangled in one of the wheels of blades and flings himself right off again.

Third try—he does make it halfway through, to be absolutely fair, but now the obstacle course is just beating him up. Bouncing him from pole to pole, flinging him from spinning pillar to spinning pillar, every time Kai makes even a slight misstep it always backfires on him. A morning star even smashes him into a wall.

And still no sign of magically glowing spin sparkles either.

After his final attempt, falling flat on his face at the feet of Wu once again, Wu sets down a once again emptied cup of tea and dabs at his face with a napkin. Kai can't even form words at this point—he threw everything he had at the obstacle course, but now he's too tired, wired, and weary to go on anymore.

When Wu sees that exhaustion has emerged victorious, he nods and rises from his seat.

"Today you failed. Tomorrow, you will try again."

"Failed?! But I didn't even—"

" _Patience_."

With that, Wu vanishes behind the door, off to parts unknown. Kai, meanwhile, tries to take some comfort in the cold hard ground, because it might be an eternity before he can even _think_ about going after Nya.

* * *

The rest of the night doesn't exactly go smoothly—sleep still disagrees with Kai, so he tries to snoop around in all the rooms of the monastery. Somehow, Wu stops him at each turn, as if he's somehow able to be in multiple places at once. Kai's eventually corralled into what looks like a guest room, with just enough amenities to get him by for a short while. A reminder that this isn't permanent, either—just until he gets Nya back. That's all.

"Why can't I just go home?" Kai asks through a yawn, dragging himself to the bed and sitting on it in defeat. "It's not like I can't just climb the side of the cliff to get up here again tomorrow—or is climbing down going to be a test too?"

"Staying here during the course of your training will help your mind remain focused on the task at hand." Wu sits in front of the doorway like the world's oldest guard dog, yet another tea set spread before him with a freshly steeped pot to boot. Kai sticks out his tongue.

"Yeah, well, there's no doubt that I'll _remain focused on the task at hand—_ " his voice drops in a poor attempt to match Wu's; Wu isn't amused. "In fact, I'm so focused, it's preventing me from getting rest."

He flops onto his side, head landing on a pillow. It's very soft and smells like sage. Kai buries his face a little deeper.

"How am I supposed to sleep soundly knowing Nya's being tortured for information or something?! I already failed my first night of training; that's not exactly raising my morale."

"You forget—you also scaled a cliff, you fended off a horde of skeletons, and you've begun to learn how to adapt your movements during combat," Wu reminds him. "Putting so much pressure upon yourself all at once, and right at the beginning, will only crush your spirits."

"Says the guy who failed me almost on the spot."

"Today, you have merely learned your limits. But come tomorrow, you may yet surpass them."

Kai burrows his face deeper into the pillow. Wu sighs, stirring the tea quietly.

"If you truly wish to go home, you're more than welcome to walk around me and take your leave. And then, we can resume your training whenever you're ready."

Kai doesn't move.

"…but the heart of the matter is, you don't wish to be alone tonight, do you?"

The words hit Kai a little too hard. They make him roll onto his back, not staring at Wu, but rather up at the ceiling. It's only rafters that greet him, but they represent something he's always had in limited supply: support.

"…I guess this _is_ the first night I've had without my sister."

He never thought he'd come to miss Nya's hastily given 'good nights' or her unwillingness to wake up in the mornings. He thinks of the grown-cold farce of a feast he'd pulled together for when she returned from robotics, to celebrate.

Those things feel so small and far away now.

"…what things did Nya reveal about the map, anyway?" Wu asks, his tone taking on a strange note. Kai just shrugs.

"Why are you asking? You're the one that made it."

"Yes, but you say she was able to translate some of what it said…I never put any particular writing on that map, so I assume it must have been an addition of your father’s.”

Kai lets his eyes fall closed. He's too tired for this.

"She started to decipher the symbols for the locations and translated a hidden message, but she said she told only me about it because she thought it had something to do with our parents…"

He can almost feel himself at sleep's door, finally. And of course, it's at that moment when he nearly shoots out of the bed with a realization.

"…but she also told her friend about the _existence_ of the map."

Now, Kai doesn’t know _that_ much about Olivia—he’s only met her once, during a time when she and Nya had tag-teamed on a school fundraiser and she’d come over for planning out an optimal route. She’d been rather sharp with her wit despite her seeming laziness, and it wasn’t hard to see how she complemented Nya.

But he also remembers the creepy charms hanging off her backpack, the offhanded references to bizarre concepts beyond Kai's knowledge, the way she carried herself as if she was always holding back…

Nya's expertise may lie in anthropology and the history of the world, explaining her interest in the map, but Olivia? The occult, and the Underworld, and perhaps even the living dead were things that were much more her style.

“Kai,” Wu speaks up, as if reading his mind. “If someone other than Nya has knowledge of the map, and it was an occurrence that happened recently…is it not possible that the incidents aren’t unrelated?”

Kai’s eyes shoot open. That…hadn’t really occurred to him. But it was strange, for Nya to share something so significant out of the blue…and then a mere week later be attacked for it.

"…do you think Olivia may have told the wrong people about the existence of the map?"

"If it was not Nya herself, then we must entertain the possibility." Wu's head bows low, the brim of his hat hiding his face. "And, if nothing else, that may be our best lead.”

Kai folds his hands under his chin, leaning forward. It's all starting to make too much sense, and it's scaring him. Olivia potentially having ties to the Underworld would be one thing, but betraying Nya by giving a potential enemy information? That was something he couldn't really swallow. There had to be more to the story.

And the only way to get to the truth…was to go to it.

"…I have to track her down. Whether she's involved directly, or she just told some overambitious fool in her occult club that then reached the wrong ears, I have to know…if this just might be her fault."

Kai clenches at the blanket.

"In that case, I suppose you'll be enrolling in school tomorrow," Wu concedes, stroking his beard. "I'll have to tweak your training schedule a bit, but it's nothing I haven't dealt with before—"

"Wait wait wait hold up, slow down!" Kai's heart is suddenly beating too fast. "I never said anything about reenrolling—all I have to do is go down there, find Olivia and talk to her, then get out! I don’t have time to balance being a ninja, getting Nya back, _and_ homework all at once!"

“But being a ninja requires strength of the mind as it does reflexes, and moreover, figuring out what could have led these events to happen will only make it easier to anticipate our enemies’ movements, and get your sister back. Going to school is the most efficient way to do so, and if you enroll as a real student, then it will draw less attention to yourself."

Kai finds himself at a loss for words, because…well, and he hates even thinking this, but the old man is _right._

And moreover, it won't be permanent. Just until he gets Nya back, and then everything can go back to normal. He can handle a day or two.

Wu takes Kai's stubborn silence as agreement, then pours a fresh cup of tea. Kai figures he's just supposed to watch this guy drink his tenth cup tonight…until Wu holds it out towards Kai instead.

"You've had a long day, and the next will be just as taxing. Drink up some of this—it's a remedy of my father's."

Wu offers the tea he's been brewing and stirring the whole time, untouched by him otherwise. Kai sits up a bit, surprised at the gesture, and takes a cup. It steams softly, cool enough to drink but warm enough to still soothe from within.

"It will help you relax, and chase away the aches of the day…and it always puts me right to sleep, so perhaps it will help you too.”

“And you couldn’t have given me this miracle slumber potion sooner because…?”

“I was hoping you’d fall asleep naturally…but, we all need help from time to time. And you’d do well to remember that.”

Kai lets go of all his tension—his shoulders sink in a way that make him realizes just how wound up he must've been. Shrugging, he takes his first sip of the tea, and it goes down easily. There's almost a silky quality to its flavor; smooth on the tongue, soft on the taste buds, but already he can feel it working to invite slumber into of his system.

For the first time tonight, the tempest of his thoughts are calm.

He's too drowsy now to really thank Wu, but Wu smiles anyway, seeing the gratitude in his eyes. He carefully takes the cup from Kai, and Kai fully flops onto the pillow.

"You have people on your side now, Kai. Do yourself a favor…and give them a chance to help you."

Wu covers Kai with the blanket—Kai's a bit indignant about being tucked in like this, but just the same, there's a sort of unfamiliar comfort that comes with it, so he snuggles deeper into the covers and lets his eyes fall closed for real this time. He's fleetingly aware that Wu blows out the candles, steps out of the room, and shuts the door behind him. All he's left with now in the silence of the night, and the promise of a somewhat better tomorrow.

And finally, at long last, Kai falls asleep.


	4. Tuesday's Coming; We Just Keep On Beating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai actually learns a few things on his first day back at high school- some good, some bad, and some of it exactly what he wanted to know in the worst way.

"Sensei, are you sure this is the right course of action? The longer we wait to make our move, the longer our enemies have to get the upper hand on us!"

"Besides, he made it pretty clear that this is something he wants to do on his own. If he's so adamant about it, why not let him?"

"And whoa whoa whoa, you never said anything about a fourth! It's always been three! Three blind mice, three musketeers, three—"

"WHAT we're trying to say, Sensei Wu, is that the three of us have trained together for over a year already. We're solid."

"And throwing in a fourth component at a time like this may…offset our current balance."

"Your current balance is precarious, predictable, and incomplete. With four differing yet equal parts, you will not need balance when you have something stronger—unity."

"…yeaaaaaah I'm still having a hard time following ya, Sensei."

"…we will continue this discussion later. For now, just keep an eye on your brother, please. We are all that he currently has."

* * *

Jay attempts to pretend that this is any other day—he gets dressed, eats breakfast, braves the dreaded bus, and tries to navigate the school halls without Chad Chen or anyone else less than pleasant spotting him. And as per usual, he fails, and Chen and his cronies proceed to dunk him into the trash can for what is sure to be the first time out of many that day alone. Yet, somehow it doesn't feel quite as soul-crushing today. Maybe because having your new friend get kidnapped by skeletons and her brother hating your guts for it is an enlightening experience of the darkest kind.

Either way, there's few things that can make today a worse day, so Jay takes that in stride. Surely today can't be as bad as yesterday.

…except for the fact that Kai himself is now skulking around the halls, despite being very adamant about _not_ going to their school.

Now, Jay is not a snoop, especially not around someone who could decimate him with a well-placed glare alone. But there's something off about Kai—the way his shoulders are hunched, the way he keeps his head down… and Jay's just too darn curious to not follow this guy around. Kai's so focused on not being seen himself that he fails to notice Jay also trying not to be seen. It's the perfect plan!

Jay stalks Kai all the way to the principal's office. It's never a good sign when someone enters both unprompted and against their will, so Jay definitely knows something's up. And he's also about to miss first period for this, so he hopes whatever's up is about to go down.

Kai barrels straight into the main office; Jay slips in behind him and hangs back in the waiting area, standing behind a potted plant for good measure. The walls are thinner than the staff claims they are, so Jay can easily hear the screeching of the chair as Kai pulls it out and anything else juicy that might come from this exchange. The challenging part is not having this plant flare up his allergies.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't Kai Smith! Look who decided to finally rejoin us!"

That's the principal's voice, and although it's from another room, the mere sound still strikes intimidation into Jay's veins. It makes him quake like a leaf, which only serves to help his current plant-disguise and thus is totally on purpose.

"Well well, if it isn't… _the principal,_ " Kai shoots back. Jay groans to himself; he’s off to a fantastic start.

“That’s Mr. Menloi to you,” the principal huffs, easing up on his grand show of superiority to sit at his desk. Jay can hear the sinking of the pleather; his stomach sinks along with it. “And there are far more pressing matters to discuss than my name and your…lack of education.”

“You know that’s not true,” Kai hisses. “I did freshman year!”

“You did a _quarter_ of freshman year.” Mr. Menloi pinches the bridge of his nose. “With your grades I couldn’t believe you’d escaped middle school…and then you decided to drop out to…what, work in a store? How's that going for you?"

“I quit to take care of my family, which is something no one else in this world seems willing to do or appreciate.”

Jay winces. Suddenly, he's starting to understand this guy just a bit more. Although now he feels like he's breaching on something private—which, well, he IS, but like, waaaaay more than he was ready for.

“…So why have you returned now? Surely it’s not a reignited spark for academics?” Mr. Menloi taps a pencil against his desk. “Although perhaps that brilliant sister of yours has finally gotten through to you.”

“That…is exactly what happened!” Jay has never heard a more crystal clear lie in his life. “She’s spent hours keeping me up to speed on studies, always waxing poetic of what a great institution this is and of how I’m missing out, wasting the years of my youth by not going to school…!”

Jay can see Kai through the frosted glass, tipping his head back and places a hand on his forehead for effect. Mr. Menloi squints at him like he’s an annoyingly blinding sun, but eventually settles for drumming his fingers along the desk.

“Perhaps you have done something right, to allow your sister to have such a good head on her shoulders…” He opens up one of his many drawers and plucks out a file. “You say you’ve been keeping on top of things in the meantime?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Kai lies again.

“…Very well. Then I’ll keep you on track and put you in the sophomore class. Just allow me a moment to see what openings there are and put together a schedule…”

Jay perks up—that means they'll be in the same class! He can already see it now—sitting together at lunch, studying at the library, partnering up for those stupid group assignments…all the school things he couldn't always do with Cole and Zane; finally, he'd have a buddy for it all!

…but well, they kinda have to get past the whole "I blame you for losing my sister" thing first. Baby steps.

“It seems you’ll miss first period, but second period should be starting soon enough," Mr. Menloi explains. "You’ll be wanting to head over to Science Room 42.”

Oh nice—Jay's headed there too!

“Sure…” Kai takes the schedule and does his best to smile. “…Thank you.”

“Humph. If you make it to the end of the year, I’ll consider that repayment enough.”

“Tch, I appreciate the lackluster faith in me,” Kai grumbles as he leaves.

“I heard that!” Comes from the other side of door just as it shuts. Jay holds his breath as Kai passes in front of him, releasing a sigh of his own. He stares at the schedule with the skeptical eyes of one who has no idea what he's doing, then bravely steps out the door into the wild world of high school.

Jay keeps his mouth covered as he slips out after Kai, praying that nothing gives his position away. But just as Kai heads around the corner, and Jay goes to follow, he slams right into a wall of muscle and Leatherman jacket. Unlike his collision with Nya, Jay's the only one to crumple to the floor this time.

"Heeeeey, Walker! So we meet again!"

Oh no.

The back of Jay's jacket is grabbed and—oop, the ground is gone, he's in the air now. A pack of cheerleaders, fresh off from their morning practice session, stare at him like they're hyenas and he's on the menu, but it pales in comparison to the sneer Chen's wearing.

"It looks to me like trash doesn't know to stay where it belongs, huh?" Chen snickers.

"Good thing we're sooooo eco-friendly and don't tolerate litter in the halls!" Another cheerleader, a blonde named Maggie, giggles behind her pompom. Chen nods; Jay can only hopelessly dangle in his grip.

"C-C'mon guys, you already did this once today…and ten times last week…and the week before…doesn't it ever get old?"

"You tell me," Chen declares, and proceeds to dunk Jay straight into the trash bin to the chorus of their heckling peers.

…or at least, he tries, but there's suddenly a hand on Chen's shoulder preventing him from completing the assault. For a brief moment, Jay panics—he thinks it's Cole, once again about to risk a detention just to save Jay's hide. But when Chen shifts around and reveals Kai—oh, somehow that's so much worse.

"What'cha up to?" Kai asks, cool as a cucumber.

"What, you new around here or something?" Chen returns the question.

"What if I am? Maybe I'm just tryna learn how the food chain goes around here."

"Well if THAT's your aim, then you're at the bottom with this guy—" Chen nudges his head towards Jay; Jay, in a moment of stupidity, _waves_. "—and his dweebish friends."

"Huh. But, well, if I were to wail on this guy, that'd put me higher than him, no?" Kai cracks his knuckles and Jay's hopes of getting out of this alive are getting dimmer and dimmer. "Plus you had your turn today—sounds like it's time to give someone else a round."

He doesn’t even wait for Chen to confirm or deny—Kai plucks Jay out of Chen's grip like he weighs nothing and proceeds to fireman carry him down the hall. Jay would panic, but like, this happens almost every day. At least now things are getting spiced up a bit.

Kai throws Jay to the floor, out of sight of the others. He leans down, fist reared back, and lets it fly…but not before whispering:

"You better start screaming."

Jay would've done that anyway without prompting—he yelps just as Kai's fist hits repeatedly against an empty backpack in the lost and found box. Jay's screams progressively get louder—because he doesn't know what's going on, but they're well-timed with Kai's punches, so it all works out—and once his distressed wails are heard by the others, Chen and his pack eventually lose interest and head off to seek another victim.

When they're gone, Kai looks satisfied with himself, then turns back to Jay...who's currently curled into a ball awaiting death.

"If you're gonna punch me, can you at least do it softly? I'm still tender from the locker slamming and the trash can incident…and being thrown to the floor like a sack of potatoes."

"I'm _not_ going to hurt you," Kai says. And if Jay hadn't heard him blatantly lie earlier, he would've assumed he'd been lying now. “Although I’m pretty sure I told you I never wanted to see you again.”

“Nya did say you had a bit of an overdramatic streak—" Kai suddenly looks scandalized. “—and besides, you’re the one that came after me, soooo…”

Kai stays silent, choosing rather to stare at the drinking fountain. Jay doesn’t know where this conversation is headed, but he’s not about to have it lying on the ground, so he quickly stands back up to pretend he’s got some dignity left.

"…you literally took on an army of skeletons last night without blinking,” Kai says slowly, “…and yet you can't handle a couple of bullies?"

Jay bites his lip. “Yeah, well…beating up the undead doesn’t get put on your permanent record if it goes awry. And Chen’s the darling of the school, so of course he’s going to get away with it…I’m better off picking different battles.”

“Like with the undead?” Kai suggests, and it startles a laugh out of Jay—holy cow, the guy DOES have a sense of humor! There's hope yet!

"…so what's your story, anyway? You made a pretty big deal out of not going to our school, and now here you are!" Jay starts circling him like a peckish vulture. Kai swats him away. "Second, I figured you'd be halfway across the world on a search for Nya already, given how crazed you sounded yesterday. And third, you…well, you went out of your way to help me out, despite, and I quote, 'I never want to see you again'.”

Kai grunts, which is not an answer, but now that the tension's settled, Jay gets a good look at him; his eyes are bloodshot and the eye-bags he's carrying must be designer with how dark they are.

Kai _really_ must have had a rough night.

"Dude… _are_ you okay?"

Jay's head tilts with the question.

Kai's taken aback; his legs look one tremor away from caving in. Instead, he hobbles his way over to the wall. He slides down against it until he hits the floor, and the tension somewhat dissolves from his shoulders.

"I'm…look, I'm here hunting down a lead on those who took Nya." Kai leans against the wall with his head back. "I think one of her so-called friends might've tipped off that skeleton army…and if that's the case, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind."

"…but then what?" Jay asks again, plopping down beside Kai. Kai makes a point of scooting an inch away. Jay doesn't react. "Even if you hunt down the potential snitch, there's no guarantee that they're directly related to what happened. What if they're just the tip of the grapevine, or maybe someone unrelated just overheard Nya, or maybe they don't actually know anything at all—"

"It's all I've got right now, okay?! The police were useless, and there's not really anyone else I can turn to!"

Jay stills, pulling back like he’d been burned. Kai, meanwhile, ducks his head and fists his hands in his hair.

It’s so hard for Jay to figure out where Kai’s anger begins from yesterday and where it starts from something long before he was even in the picture. But now Jay can see that it’s all dripping together, dammed up with nowhere to go but out.

It makes it a little easier to understand Kai, but no less painful.

“Listen…" Jay begins, scratching the back of his neck. “The two of us got off on the wrong foot yesterday. Same with Cole and Zane—they’re great people, especially after you get to know them. But you don't have to be alone right now. I'm sorry about what happened to Nya, and I want to do what I can to help! …even if, for right now, that means getting to your class. And maybe your locker."

Kai clutches his almost-forgotten schedule, daring to look at Jay again.

"…if those other two are Cole and Zane, then what's your name, Shortstack?"

"I'm _Jay,_ " Jay scoffs, ignoring the quip. "I do a little inventing, I dabble in model building, a touch of cooking, a bit of poetry, and I have—"

"—one heck of a mouth of lightning."

"You are just _full_ of kind words today, aren't you?"

"…sorry."

And to his credit, Kai actually does look like he regrets it. That’s more than Chen, or his cronies, or his teachers, or anyone else can say.

"…you never did say if you were okay or not," Jay says quietly, and Kai pushes air out his nose.

"What do you think?"

"Obviously not, given that a lot of junk went down yesterday and you're clearly still bitter about it. I'm trying not to take it personally, but boy you sure hit where it hurts!"

Kai sinks a bit, refusing to meet Jay’s eyes.

"…if I'm so awful to be around then why are you still here?"

Ah, finally—an easy question.

“Because when I was new around here, and I had no one to turn to, there were these two guys willing to go out of their way to make sure my school experience wasn’t completely hooped." Jay can't help but grin a bit. "I always promised I’d pay that kindness forward…and I guess that day is today!”

Kai perks up somewhat; Jay's grin grows wider.

"And after all, Nya thinks the world of you, and I like Nya, so there's gotta be something to like about you too! And, I mean…that's probably the same reason why you came to my rescue, right?"

…It's a very roundabout way of saying so, but it fills Kai with assurance anyway. He laughs under his breath - Jay can't tell whether its relief or disbelief- but something about Kai looks…lighter, at least.

And then, in a quiet act of defiance against his own instincts, Kai thrusts his schedule at Jay. Jay blinks, taking it without a word.

"…decipher this for me," is all Kai says, not even looking at Jay.

Jay's eyes light up—someone's actually asking him for help?! Valuing his inputs?! Well, technically, it wasn't a question, but it's probably Kai's version of a question, so he'll take it!

"Okay," he says, and Kai dares a peek over his shoulder at him. Jay skims the contents over, smiling as he recognizes a few of the classes, but beams the most over the top of the list.

"All right! Well, first of all, you've got the locker next to mine—how convenient—and your first class today is going to be Physical Science, which is also with me! We're just going over properties of momentum today, so we'll have time to talk more then!"

Jay's grin is infectious. Kai's doing his best to smile back, yet there's still something empty in his eyes. Jay opens his mouth to bring attention to it, as he probably shouldn't, but the ringing bell signaling the end of first period snaps him out of it.

Kai looks somewhat panicked, especially when students start flooding out of the rooms and into the hall. Jay just grabs the cuff of Kai's sleeve and pulls him along in the direction of science.

He has no idea what direction this fragile foundation of friendship may be going. And Jay's still a little wary of the guy…

But anyone that looks as lost and alone the way Jay had on his first day of high school can't be that much different, right?

* * *

In the blur that is associating with Jay Walker, Kai enters science and quickly discovers that the single empty seat is next to Jay. Not from convenience once again, as nice as that is, but because the other students make no secret of how much they apparently can't stand Jay. Jay either doesn't care or is _really_ good at pretending not to notice, because he beams at Kai and gestures to the spot next to him. Kai doesn't even think the teacher has noticed his presence, but whatever.

He scans around for Olivia—he knows she's a sophomore too, so the odds of her having at least one class with him are in his favor. Unfortunately, she's either not in this class or absent; Kai desperately hopes it's just the former and he'll have better luck later.

In the meantime, from behind their shared science book, Jay goes on to explain that Kai's other classes are Geometry, Language, Lunch, Gym, Accounting, and Metal Shop. It goes through one ear and out the other with Kai, considering that once Nya is safe and sound, he is _so_ not coming back.

"You've got the same Gym Class as Cole, and Geometry with Zane it looks like," Jay hums just as Kai tunes back in. "So you'll be seeing them later too!"

"Pretty sure lunch isn't a class though, Jay."

"Please, by the end of today, you'll be counting it as such!"

Kai rolls his eyes, but takes another glance at the schedule. Now that it's been properly explained to him, it's not quite as intimidating. And, in fact, it manages to grab his attention.

"…wait, wait, there's a metal shop?!"

"Yeah! It's one of the electives—most kids either do regular ol' art or Wood Shop, but I guess those were all full so you were put there!"

"…huh." Kai tries not to look too excited. But he just might actually excel at a class after all—accounting, too, would be right up his alley. It might even make for a good chance to catch up balancing his finances…

Jay continues to babble to his semi-captive audience, until the teacher hurls a piece of chalk at him. There's a split moment where Kai thinks Jay's about to lose an eye, but Jay tilts his head just enough to avoid pain and lets it hit the guy behind him, continuing to go about his conversation. It's only a few seconds later that Jay realizes what he just did, and upon seeing the look on Kai's face, simply grins and shrugs.

From that point on, Kai ignores the way more chalk, balled up paper balls, and spit wads come Jay's way, because Jay evades them all like he's got eyes in the back of his head. Plus, Jay doesn't seem too bothered by it, so Kai doesn't bring it up.

He only wishes he could've dodged some of them himself.

The day drags on—there's no sign of Olivia in Geometry either, and that whole hour is spent trying to pretend that Zane's _not_ staring holes into the back of his head. The subject itself makes Kai regret lying about his skill level, because he has _no_ idea what acute angles are or how to find the area of a rhombus- and what kind of information is THAT anyway?! The few times the teacher tries to target him for a question, Zane manages to shout out the answer before Kai can even think. It draws way too much negative attention onto Zane, but…the heat is taken off of Kai, at least. Kai just wonders if Zane had done it on purpose, or if he's _that_ passionate about shape perimeters. Maybe it's both. 

He reunites with Jay in Language, which wouldn't be so bad if Kai wasn't bad at writing…and reading. Reading to himself is fine, but reading out loud might as well be a death sentence. He struggles through three out of fives sentences of a paragraph before the teacher recommends someone else to take over. Kai sinks in his seat in shame, hearing the chorus of snickers all around him, until Jay slides him a note. At first glance, it looks like a list of criticisms, but in actuality it's just “a few helpful tips for how to improve” for next time. Kai shoots Jay a look; Jay throws him a thumbs up.

Lunch is…about everything Nya always said it was but he never believed: pretty awful, barely edible, but with little choice but to consume. He figured Nya was at least getting _one_ good meal a day, but even that was too much to ask for in this life apparently. A cold slab of reheated pizza is plopped onto Kai's tray while he moves through the line, along with a solid scoop of corn that maintains the shape of the spoon and a poor imitation of "chocolate milk" that might be a day or two past expired. Kai glances at the trash can—somehow, everything within looks way more appetizing.

"Over here, Kai!" Jay yells, waving at him from the floor next to the garbage. Kai nearly jumps out of his skin, and several questions leap to the forefront of his mind. He carefully approaches Jay…and finds him, Zane, and Cole sitting next to the trash cans. Zane's got a nice little food spread out in front of him, and Cole gives him a peace sign while his cheeks are clearly full of pastry.

"…seriously?!"

"No one else will let us sit with them, unless we want our food dumped on our heads," says Cole, not missing a beat as he jams out to his headphones. "But you can sit with us, if you really want."

"Also, don't eat that," Jay says, swiping the tray out of Kai's hand and sending it straight to the garbage where it belongs.

"Hey-!"

"You'll thank us later!"

"Care for some sushi instead?" Zane asks, holding out a bento box. "I crafted it by hand myself, and have 'happened' to pack extra!"

Cole gives Zane a warning nudge for some reason, but Kai couldn’t care less about that. It wouldn't take a lot to make something better than the cafeteria food Kai previously wielded, but Zane's sushi already looks like the most appetizing thing in the world. Kai jumps at it like a ravenous animal going after a final meal.

"At least chew it, man!" Cole exclaims with horror. "Savor the flavor!"

"You're one to talk—you already ate all the mini cakes and it's barely been ten minutes!" scoffs Jay.

"I am just happy my cooking has reached satisfactory levels," Zane hums. "Especially since they are recipes of my mother's!"

"Tell your mom she made greatness," Kai huffs through four bites. He accepts his fate and plunks himself down on the floor of questionable cleanliness, reaching for just one more piece of sashimi. It's only after he's through swallowing does he realize the other three are staring at him like he's some kind of alien. And Jay slurping on a juice pouch isn't helping anything.

"What?!"

"Nothing; we're just…surprised to see you here," Cole coughs. "Especially after, y'know, yesterday."

"And never wanting to see us again!" Zane recalls with too much pep.

"…yeah, well, yesterday is exactly why I'm here." Kai pulls his knees up to his chin and pouts. "And… Jay did kinda get to me about how I acted. I figure that…I might as well get to know all of you _before_ I decide to cut you out of my life."

"And?" Jay prompts, gesturing for Kai to go on with his hand.

"…and I'm sorry. I was just…angry, when I said those things before, but that's not an excuse for the bad treatment. And you guys already know that."

Cole and Zane trade looks, with Jay acting suspiciously smug. Eventually Cole grins, Zane nods, and they face Kai once again.

"We know you were under a lot of stress at the time; we didn't take it too personally," Cole says, moving his headphones to hang them around his neck. The ultimate sign of respect. "I…could've reacted a little better too. I got kinda physical, didn't I?"

"If you are willing to start fresh, then we are willing to do the same," Zane adds, holding out a hand. "So, greetings! I am Zane! And it is customary to shake hands upon one's first meeting, is it not?"

Kai stares at Zane's hand, taking it slowly. He's surprised by how firm and cold it is, but not unwelcome. He smiles and nods, and Zane grins back.

"Anyway, what's your name again?" Cole asks.

"…Kai."

"Name's Cole!" Cole slides to the other side of the wall, slinging an arm over Kai's shoulders. "Nice to meet ya, kid. I got your back…and for the record, there ain't _nothing_ in this world I'm afraid of." 

"Except for dragons," Zane points out with a pair of chopsticks. Cole gains a look of betrayal.

"Dragons aren't FROM this world, Zane! I said IN this world!"

Zane smirks to himself and Cole pouts, but it's when Jay bursts into laughter do the others do the same. Kai, meanwhile, can't help the way his face cracks with a smile as Jay tells the worst jokes, as Zane keeps pulling delicious snacks out of seemingly nowhere to share with him, as Cole scares off anyone that tries to mess with them. Kai starts to see why Nya must've trusted them right away.

And he's only reminded of what he's really here for.

He's not actually a student. He's not actually their friend.

Kai pulls out of the conversation, having his turn to stare at _them_ for a change. They're clearly already close, clearly with a lot of history. Kai's just a temporary footnote in this picture, so there's not really a point in getting too attached. He's got work to do, and he can't let these guys distract him.

He doesn't want to stay here anyway; not when school let him down before, not when the responsibilities that he had no choice but to bear meant life or death for him and Nya. He could never understand why society wanted him to learn things that weren't really going to help him. And then, dealing with the crushing disappointment when he let everyone down once he couldn't keep up on his studies like Nya could, or how he just couldn't keep any friends he thought would be ride or die otherwise—

No wonder he only lasted two months in freshman year.

* * *

Kai ends up not minding gym class, even though this is one of those dumb times where the boys and girls are separated, so even if Olivia _was_ present, he wouldn't be able to see her. So meanwhile, he does his best to not get utterly dominated in a game of flag football where everyone is clearly ignoring the point of the flags and tackling each other anyway. Cole, however, is extremely good at being one of aforementioned rule-breaking tacklers, and Kai counts himself lucky that Cole's on his team this time around, given that not a single person touches Kai when Cole comes charging at them like a bull.

He also doesn't mind accounting—it's a little less energetic than the other classes, and full of quiet computation. He recognizes no one in this class, but the teacher is at least nice enough to introduce him properly, and no one bats an eye when he picks a seat. And the lesson, for once today, is something he's able to pick up on quickly—he's balanced his rather broke checkbook just the other day, so these problems don't even make him sweat.

Yet by the time he reaches Metal Shop, Kai feels like he's lived seven lifetimes in a single day, and just wants a nap. There's no sign of Olivia or anyone in this class either—now he's starting to think this whole plan was a waste of time, unless he wants to ask around about Olivia instead and draw a bunch of suspicion at him. That's the last thing he needs.

The students that do file in are already wearing wielding masks and other gear, drifting to various corners of the room to work on projects they started weeks ago. Self-consciousness floods Kai's systems; his hands shake, not knowing what he's supposed to do or where he's supposed to go—

Then the teacher puts a _very_ heavy hand on his shoulder.

"So, little guy, you must be new student, no?" he asks, a deep chuckle following suit. Kai gulps as he looks up at the man—he towers over Kai, almost as imposing as the principal, and the helmet/beard combo he's sporting makes him far more grisly than he has any right to be. "Why student look so scared? Karlof only teacher; Karlof won't hurt you!"

"…ahaha, you just caught me by surprise, that's all," Kai coughs, shaking off his jitters and rocking on his heels. "…soooooo, this is Metal Shop? Looks...intense."

Karlof lets out a belly-heavy laugh, rattling the tools on a nearby table.

"Karlof loves the intensity! Karlof once worked as an aeronautical engineer in homeland of Metalonia—good work, good pay, little passion. Metal, though, is Karlof's true passion…! And thus, Karlof pass passion to new generation!"

Karlof walks over to the wall, grabbing at a pair of giant metal hands that Kai can't for the life of him figure out the practical use of. But when Karlof slips them on and punches them together, he reaches for a stray piece of metal and tears it in half like paper. He passes one half to Kai; Kai assumes this is somehow going to be his first project.

"So, has little man had experience with metal before?" Karlof asks. "It is all right if you have not. Karlof just needs to know skill level."

Kai shuffles in place, not expecting to be put on the spot like this.

"I actually have work as a blacksmith," Kai explains. "I know it's not exactly the same thing, but it's somewhat similar…"

Karlof nods in approval, slapping Kai on the back. Kai can't believe his spine hasn't snapped.

"Good, good! Blacksmithing is honorable craft. But blacksmithing is derived from element of fire; it only yields iron. Metalsmithing is derived from element of earth and metal itself; yields much more variety in its result."

"I…guess I can see the difference." Kai really doesn't but it's not worth arguing. "…but you believe in the concept of elements?"

"Karlof knows it is taboo topic in Ninjago City. Metalonia much more open about topic. Does little man believe in the elements as well?"

Kai glances to the side, tongue in cheek.

"I… haven't decided yet."

"Well then, let Karlof show you the wonders of metal…!"

The rest of the class proves as more of a distraction than anything else, but it's another that Kai appreciates rather than being annoyed by. Since he's the only one here with no idea what he's doing, Karlof spends nearly the whole class instructing Kai on the different techniques, tools, and metal types. Kai finds it fascinating, even learning new tricks to possibly use in his blacksmithing. And by the time the hour passes, Kai has welded together a small metal cube—nothing practical, but now he knows the basics and has a cool little doodad to take home.

"All right class!" Karlof booms, clapping his massive gauntlets together like a gong. "Tomorrow will be another workday, so wrap up work and remember to do extra credit assignment! Due at end of week!"

Various responses fill the air, and Kai glances around. The rest of the class starts following Karlof's orders and wraps up whatever they're doing. Metal clangs, welding torches are put back, and the masks are all hung up where they belong. It's a bit strange that these are supposed to be Kai's classmates—not a single one of them has said a word to him or about him.

One girl does pass him by though, stopping right in front of him and stopping as if in shock. Kai raises an eyebrow at her; she takes off her welding helmet.

Kai's heart plummets when he sees that it's _her_.

"Well hey there Kai! Haven't seen you in a hot minute!" Olivia exclaims, blowing her side bangs out of her face. "Since when are you in this class? Wait, no—since when do you go to _school_?"

This is exactly what he'd been waiting all day for—why is dread suddenly choking him from the inside out?

"It's a…recent development," Kai scoffs, which is only a half lie. Olivia raises an eyebrow at him.

"Well, cool, I guess. But say, where's your sister been? It's not like her to be absent, and I had to spend lunch ALONE today! She okay?"

Kai lowers his head—he doesn’t know how much he should tell Olivia. There's still the chance that she may be completely unrelated, or she may be entirely at fault and react violently.

…but if she's at school today, and asking about Nya, then surely she can't be in that deep?

"Olivia, Nya told me that she showed you a map that she found…" Kai decides just to go for the heart of the matter. No point in dancing around the issue. "…did you happen to tell anyone else about it?"

Olivia scratches her neck, looking anywhere but at Kai.

"…uh, I mean, it was a pretty cool find, and I didn't think it was anything THAT important, so I told a few pals from my occult club." Olivia grabs her smoothie from her bag and takes a sip. Kai just gapes at her. "…what? It was just a map of Ninjago with creepy writing on it, what's the big deal?"

And that, Kai decides, is permission enough to unlock the fury floodgates.

"The big DEAL is, somebody clearly thought that map was _important—_ " Kai steps towards her; Olivia doesn't even flinch. "—and now Nya's been taken away because they want that map!"

"Wait, what?!" Olivia gasps, a hand flying over her mouth. " _That's_ why she's not here today?! Because someone from the occult club did something to her?"

"…I don't know who's responsible for sure," Kai says with narrowed eyes. "But regardless, the wrong people found out, and the only reason _that_ happened was because _you_ couldn't keep your mouth shut, so I hope you're happy."

At that, Olivia goes from shocked and sad to just as furious as Kai, crushing her smoothie in her grip. Her nails nearly puncture the outside of the cup.

"How _dare_ you?! My best friend gets kidnapped because of a stupid mistake of mine, and you've got the nerve to think it's going to make me happy?! And if you care so much, why are you wasting time at a school bothering _me_ about it when you should be going after her or something?!"

"I wouldn't have had to do any of this if you didn't break Nya's trust! She told you about that map in confidence, and because she had no one else to turn to about it when it was eating away at her, and you stomped all over that, because, what, you thought some chumps would get a kick out of it—?!"

Olivia throws her smoothie at Kai—unlike with Nya, she doesn't miss, and a sticky strawberry mess starts melting down Kai's head and into his eyes. While Kai's stunned into silence—both from the act itself and how _gross_ this is—she rushes right by him and makes sure to check him with her shoulder on the way.

"You're a jerk, Kai! Something bad happens to you and you just take it out on others without thinking about how they feel about it?! How dare you try to put words in my mouth when you don't even know me!"

They've drawn quite the crowd of eyes and ears by now—to the outsiders it probably looks like they're arguing over a breakup or something—and Olivia rushes to her locker to grab her stuff. Kai, with want of little else to do, follows after her, bad as a choice as it may be. Olivia tears through her locker like a woman possessed, slamming it shut once she's done and clenching her fists against the handle.

Her navy gaze meets Kai's reddish one, and it's full of quiet fury.

"No wonder Nya came to me about the stupid map first—I can only imagine how _you'd_ react if she said or did something you didn't like without her preparing for it…"

That throws Kai off-guard, once again allowing enough time for Olivia to rush by him and head for the exit. She gets halfway out the door when Kai calls to her again. This time, she doesn't bother looking at him, but she does stop.

"…I'm _going_ to get her back. One way or another, regardless of how this happened. That, I promise you."

Olivia stares at him for the longest time before settling on a head shake and a shrug, drifting out the door.

"And I hope you do, Firecracker."


	5. Wednesday Morning and We Soon Discover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zane struggles to find common ground with Kai as Kai takes a new avenue of approach in his investigation.

"…so what do you plan to do now?" Wu asks, watching as Kai runs the training gauntlet into the early hours of the morning once again. Kai refuses any of Wu's special slumber brew this time, dedicating all waking moments to pushing his limits. Wu still has a batch set aside in case he changes his mind.

But what _could_ Kai do, beyond train for a confrontation with the Underworld? Olivia was either an outright dead end, or just the first link in a series of little trails that could also potentially go nowhere. If he pursues her statements any further, it could become wasted time…but aimlessly searching elsewhere would yield similar results.

“If I could just figure out who exactly she told, or the connections she has…” Kai mumbles to himself, dodging planks absent-mindedly. Wu notes how his evasion seems to improve when he’s not paying attention. “…then that might give me a new angle to work with.”

“Oho, so it seems that the most straight-forward approach is not the most effective method.” Wu strokes his beard. “Taking a longer way around, finding an alternative behind the scenes…now you’re starting to think like a ninja.”

Kai sticks out his tongue, just in time for him to misplace his footing. The misstep sends him slipping, tripping, then flying straight to the floor. When Kai stays where he lands, Wu fears he might've hurt himself—but no, Kai just stubbornly refuses to move again. Wu sighs, rubbing a hand down his face.

“…or, perhaps, I spoke too soon.”

Kai ignores the quip, mind still running on autopilot. The school office would have files on all the students, right? Surely there’d be some info on Olivia herself, or the occult club’s location, time, and members, and then info on the members themselves…

And maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to weed out the potential snake hiding within the school walls.

And if Wu wanted him to think like a ninja for this mission…then so be it.

Wu, meanwhile, takes Kai’s contemplative silence as a cue to shut down the training course, letting all the equipment pop back into storage. Kai lifts his head up and makes a disapproving noise.

“Hey, I was using that…!”

“And now you are not, for you are in need of rest more than further frustration.”

Kai plops back down, face mashed into the floor.

“What difference does it make? I’m not getting any better any faster anyway…”

Wu takes pause, staring down at his student. Kai, meanwhile, refuses to maintain eye contact.

"Do you truly believe your recent efforts are worth nothing?"

Kai struggles. "…well, no, but—"

"A lack of immediate results does not mean immediate failure," Wu insists, punctuated with a slam of his staff. Kai rolls his eyes.

"You were literally just like 'oh so fail!' not even two hours ago—"

"That was merely to spur you on, since you thrive on proving people wrong. But now it seems I must change up my tactics."

Wu’s shadow looms over Kai with his approach. Kai manages to peel himself off the ground, just in time for Wu to do some swishy thing with his staff and next thing Kai knows he’s in the air then upside down—

—and being dragged straight to the guest room.

…He’ll concede defeat just this once, only because despite being tugged along the floor, Kai’s fallen asleep long before even reaching the bed.

* * *

“A person like you was made to help people, Zane,” Dr. Julien once told him, and Zane has turned those words into a creed.

Few things from his childhood stick out in his mind, but those words from his father remained steadfast in his heart. He could make the world even just a little better in small ways. By helping others, Zane could bring joy to others, and that in turn would make him happy too. Rarely could he find a downside.

Beyond trying to connect to other students more, finding ways to be helpful had been the main reason he joined the student council. Having ways to hear student’s problems and find solutions, figuring out what they liked and providing them with a more positive school experience, giving guidance where it was needed…it handled both his life's curiosities at once. 

Zane only wishes others appreciated it as much as he does.

"Zaaaaane," whines the school's treasurer, nudging Zane in the shoulder as she tends to do. "We don’t have the authority for a complete reorganization of the lunch menu, for the last time…!"

"Nor can we rearrange the sizes of the classrooms," sighs the secretary, rubbing his forehead. "We already tried. Twice."

"Or extend the period of free time after lunch," adds the scribe, viciously writing everything down. Zane sinks in his seat, dejectedly staring at his own notes that he meticulously compiled.

"But…every calculation I have made suggests that these would be the most ideal changes to improve student motivation and overall efficiency—"

"And these plans also include cutting back on school sports?! Specifically, the cheer squad?!" The vice president slams her fist on the table, eye twitching. "No one's going to go for that! Not the faculty, not the student body, and _especially_ not Chad Chen…!"

The council collectively shudders. Zane just tilts his head.

"The cheer squad is unnecessary. The student section of the sporting events has more than enough 'pep' to provide morale for the team as it is. We do not need to waste resources on a dedicated committee for such things."

"And like I said, even if we pitched that idea, no one else is going to go with it. And even if they did, Chen would kick up enough of a fuss that it'd just get reversed anyway." The VP stands up, casting her hand out. "So in order to make some funds for next year’s school festival, as something we can actually and reasonably _accomplish,_ who's up for another chocolate bar fundraiser?"

A sea of hands goes up. Zane opens his mouth to protest (and remind everyone of why chocolate bar fundraisers are actually detrimental to their cause) but apparently the vote goes through and everyone decides to call it a wrap.

Zane still has several points he'd like to make. However, everyone has already scattered at the first possible sign of escape -just as they do every morning. He sighs, scooping his papers into his folder and wishing for once that someone would heed his advice. Maybe tomorrow will yield better results.

He heads off to geometry, which is thankfully something he understands in its entirety. Strange how a series of complex equations can make more immediate sense than a human being.

On his way to class, he happens to pass by the sophomore science room. Jay's already made a mad dash for his next class, most likely taking the long route to avoid his bullies, while Kai's…taking a mid-morning nap against a notebook.

Zane frowns, stepping inside just as the five-minute bell startles Kai awake. A few kids snicker in his direction, jostling his chair as they file out of the classroom. Kai barely seems to notice, too distracted by rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Now Zane can see the piece of paper Kai had been using for a pillow—it's _supposed_ to be their geometry assignment. Only a drool stain fills the pages, and not a single note about the homework due in a few minutes.

"…Kai, would you like to borrow my notes on the day's lesson?" Zane approaches Kai once the room is empty. "It is not a very long assignment, and with the right strategy the problems can be completed fairly easily—"

"Nrrrgraaaah," Kai mumbles in return, standing up. Zane only blinks.

"…I am sensing that you did not get the optimal amount of sleep last night."

"Or the night before, but who's keeping track?" Kai retorts, struggling to push his chair back under the table. "Ugh, how do people do this every single day?!"

"…do you mean going to school, getting enough sleep, or pushing in a chair?"

"Why would you even- no, nevermind, forget it." Kai rubs a hand down his face. "Augh, I guess I'll take those notes…they're better than the ones I took."

"Which was none at all!" Zane exclaims while passing Kai a copy. Kai gives Zane a withering look, then waves him off and heads out the door. Zane, conflicted, follows after him. They _are_ headed in the same direction, after all.

They walk quietly down the hall, Kai sulking and Zane skipping beside him. They make for quite the mix-matched pair. Kai pretends that he doesn't notice everyone giving him looks, while also pretending that Zane isn't one of them.

Zane's staring is of a less hostile nature, however—he's just never met anyone like Kai before.

How can someone so egotistical be so closed off? Or both dismissive of others yet overly protective of them? Or so driven to prove himself yet so hard on himself when faced with a shortcoming?

How someone can be so fierce in both anger and compassion is astounding to Zane. It’s mystifying _and_ terrifying.

He wants to ask Kai a lot of things, but asking Kai a question is equivalent to slapping him upside the head—only a verbal thrashing would come of it. The last thing Zane wants is to make a fresh enemy. He's barely hanging onto friends as it is.

So, they settle into geometry, Zane deciding to sit beside Kai today. Kai ignores this in favor of trying to complete his homework in the last precious few seconds he has. Zane doesn't mind, opting to pull out his geometry book and continue from where he last left on in his reading.

Geometry fascinates Zane—on its surface, it depicts numbers assigned to the amount of space a 2D or 3D object occupies, but he finds it to be so much philosophical than that. The "amount of space an object occupies” seems like something easy to quantify, until you applicate it to a human being. Then, the quantification becomes something more abstract, something less tangible, something _limitless_.

A human is bigger than their body, more than the amount of space they occupy in this given plane of existence. There are pieces of them that have drifted to others, pieces of them that change constantly, and pieces of their very essence that cannot be seen by the naked eye, let alone assigned a number. And it's fascinating because, imagine—to be a human, and thinking that you're trapped in a specific area of the universe, when in actuality you're the most unrestrained thing to ever _be_. People are more than the sum of their parts, as the saying goes.

Zane, however, has never felt like this. Everything has its place and purpose, with little room for deviation. It bothers him constantly, to try and do his student council work in a way that will appease everyone, but so many clashing personalities and perspectives prevent him from pulling anything off, especially when some of his obstacles lie in his fellow council.

But he's more than just _that_ , isn't he? More than just the final stamp on approving their ideas? More than just fighting for what he thinks is right until he ultimately gets shot down? More than just smiling weakly when everyone else seems to understand what's going on?

Or is he only destined to be the odd man out? Is _that_ the single space he's destined to occupy, calculated by an algorithm he'll never be privy to?

At least geometry will always make sense to him, limited as the practice is when applied only to simple shapes.

…and then there are students like Kai, who'd just rather sleep through the entire lesson.

Any concerns about finishing his work abandoned, Kai's head lolls against the desk as he snores. Zane huffs, debating on waking him up and scolding him, but if he's only going to fall sleep again it might not be worth it.

Better to let him get it out of his system, Zane thinks, as he starts taking two sets of notes.

* * *

Zane's daily routine drifts a little closer to normal around lunch. This is one of those days where Cole's got detention and Jay's retaking a test in an attempt to get a better score, so Zane ditches the cafeteria and spends the lunch hour outside. Despite packing a meal for everyone including the suspiciously missing Kai, Zane's not too hungry himself. Taking in the outdoors uninterrupted is satisfying enough.

That is, until his phone starts to vibrate in his pocket. 

**Super** ★ **RKNJ** **:** dude have you seen Kai today?

 **Super** ★ **RKNJ** : he wasn't in language??

 **Super** ★ **RKNJ** : which SUCKS because I had no one to complain to

Kai skipped a class? A rather bold move to make on one’s second day of school. But could it be he’s sick? It might explain his apparent exhaustion…

 **ZaneJulien** : Strange. He was in Geometry…although he slept through a fair amount of it.

 **Super** ★ **RKNJ** : oh snap! Did u give him detention for it?

 **ZaneJulien** : Not this time. I let him off with a warning since it has been a rough week for him.

 **Super** ★ **RKNJ** : yeah that's true

 **Super** ★ **RKNJ** : but if he's not in detention then where did he go?

Now thoroughly curious, Zane lowers his phone and scouts around the courtyard. There’s the cheer squad practicing a routine, some random kids partaking in sports or sitting beneath the trees listening to music, a delinquent dressed in red who is currently entering the principal's office through the _window_ —

Zane fears he's broken his neck with the double-take he performs.

Well, Kai definitely isn’t sick—not if he’s vandalizing school property with the appropriate amount of strength _and_ able to look devious about it. And clearly the most important lesson Zane will learn in school today is that Kai can’t be left alone for _two minutes_.

Before he can even move to rectify the ridiculous event taking place, Kai has somehow pried open the window from the outside. He indiscreetly kicks in the screen, then slides in with all the subtly of a klutzy moose. Zane gawks for a few precious seconds before booking it over to the window.

…he has second thoughts about entering like a vandal as well, however, and proceeds to use the front door instead.

By the time he speed-walks through the halls and rounds the corner to the office, he finds the school secretary beginning to unlock the door, moments away from unveiling whatever disastrous scheme Kai is in the process of. Just as Zane hears the click of the doorknob, he makes a deranged noise that’s just distracting enough to have her look over.

“Oh, good afternoon, Zane! Did you need something in the office?”

"…yes!" Zane exclaims, hoping to come up with something quick enough to prevent that from being a lie. The secretary absently pushes open the door just a bit, still totally focused on Zane, but through the crack Zane can see Kai rifling through things that should not be rifled with. Zane coughs out of panic, scrambling for words.

"I…er, we were discussing adding some new candidates into the student council, and I wanted to take a quick look through the student files to search for some potential prospects."

"Oh that's wonderful! Some new insight will be good for you all, and there’s certainly some promising freshmen!" she exclaims. "Here, let me just set down my stuff—"

"AHHH, er, wait…!" Zane is dominating this conversation just by screaming, apparently. "There was also an…incident over at…the gym, that requires your assistance."

The secretary raises an eyebrow. "Why me, specifically?"

Zan valiantly digs himself deeper. "Mmmmmm there was a disagreement that escalated into physicality, and it was more than I could handle, but then I remembered you have taken martial arts and could probably handle the violence better than I could.”

"I _am_ a triple blue belt,” she says determinedly, hiking her bag higher onto her shoulder. “All right, I’ll go take care of it—feel free to grab whatever you need, Zane, but I’ll be right back.”

Zane just grins and waves as she makes a mad dash down the hall in heels. Only once she’s around the corner does Zane nearly faint against the wall. The weight of the guilt could crush him.

…thus, he pulls out his phone in an attempt to turn this disastrous lie into _some_ kind of truth.

 **ZaneJulien** : Cole no time to explain; go cause a disturbance over at the gym right now.

 **ColeRocks521** : finally

 **ColeRocks521** : been waiting my whole life for this

 **ColeRocks521** : wait wait is this some kind of test

 **ZaneTheBrain** : No but if you do this I will get you excused out of detention today.

 **ColeRocks521** : consider it done my good man

 **ZaneTheBrain** : Thank you.

 **ColeRocks521** : anything for u~

Well, if there's one thing Zane can count on, it's Cole inciting a riot at a moment’s notice. With that taken care of, it's time to tackle the real issue. Zane steps through the now abandoned office, save for one Kai still ripping through a perfectly good set of once organized student records.

“What are you DOING?!” Zane whisper-shouts in distress. How did all of Kai's noise _not_ alert anyone else, and where was Mr. Menloi—?

Kai’s head pokes up above the boxes and drawers in alarm, but upon seeing Zane he visibly relaxes and goes right back to breaking school law. Zane has half a mind to stomp over and swat his wrist.

"I _said—_ what are you doing?!" Zane tries again, the words ground between gritted teeth. This time Kai stops, huffing in both frustration and indignation.

“I was just looking for some information,” Kai says coolly, as if ransacking an office for private files is a completely casual thing to do. “…but I can’t find anything in this place!”

“That’s because it’s organized by class, last name, first name, and then age,” Zane explains, kneeling down to hastily start putting things away. “You know, if you had actually _asked_ for assistance, someone might have told you that.”

Kai grumbles, settling for handing folders to Zane for him to speedily put away. Zane inwardly groans—the entire senior cabinet is in disarray, and he has a feeling that’s not even close to what Kai was looking for.

“If you needed the information that badly, why didn’t you just ask the faculty, or me? I have a few connections that allow me access to student files…without the need for sabotage.”

“Well the principal already hates me, but I thought if I could get in and out before anyone showed up, it’d be fine…”

Kai finally looks at Zane, a lopsided frown on his face.

“Besides, I didn’t know the student council president could just mess around with files anytime he wants.”

“That’s because I can’t, not any more than you can.” Zane’s halfway through defeating this mess, thank goodness. He can hear Cole’s whooping even from halfway across the school, so he’s still got some time. “But with permission, I do have some flexibility. What is it you were even hoping to find?”

Kai flinches somewhat sheepishly. Zane stares at him, silently pressing for an answer, because _something_ had to be important enough for this frankly stupid scheme to even occur.

"…is there anything here about a sophomore named Olivia Omar?"

"If she is a student here, then of course. Allow me a moment."

Kai backs up as Zane finishes shuffling all the senior files back into place. Now with the room much more organized, Zane can think clearly.

He reaches for the third drawer in the second row, opening a series of folders labeled “Sophomores: M-R”. He makes a show of flipping through each individual file before pulling out Olivia’s—and it only took him a matter of seconds. Kai refuses to look impressed, but Zane smirks anyway.

However, when they crack the incriminating manila folder open, there isn't much to see within. A bare-bones profile, a summary of her schedule, a few notes of the clubs she's in…but nothing beyond that. It's enough to even get Zane curious, because there's not even any emergency contact info. It all seems to be enough for Kai though.

"All right, the schedule would have been more useful yesterday, but I can work with this occult club info…" Kai murmurs to himself, scanning the pages like they're sacred. "It's even got all the members listed, which means possible suspects, people to talk to…"

"Once again, you could have just asked someone rather than invading someone's privacy and tapering with personal documents."

Kai's not even listening. It grates on Zane's nerves a bit, because if you're going to make a giant mess of everything you might as well hear out the person trying to help you clean it up.

"Why are you so insistent on doing everything yourself anyway? Denying help so brazenly is highly counterproductive, especially to your current endeavors."

 _That_ catches Kai's attention. Zane's never seen a man go from relatively hopeful to undeniably ticked off in a single blink, but well, there's a first time for everything.

"…I could ask _you_ why you're so keen on interfering with others' affairs." Kai shoots back, his tone shockingly cool given the anger that burns behind each word. "You would benefit more from minding your own business."

That takes Zane aback—it's not at all the response he'd been anticipating. Even Kai’s a bit stunned at his words, but he doesn’t take them back either. He grunts, doubling down.

“…I spent _years_ asking for help, looking for help, wishing someone would free the burden of raising a child off of me, when I was still just a child myself…and no one ever came, so I had to take care of things myself. And if I made it this far without anyone interfering, why should I start now?”

Some more things about Kai begin to make sense, but at the same time, it just opens up a thousand more questions Zane’s never going to be able to ask.

“What's a new experience other than yet another obstacle I have to figure out how to overcome on my own? All I ever do is what it takes."

"That does not give you the right to just do whatever you want," Zane grits back. "You may have lived in an environment when your actions only needed to benefit yourself, but here? You have to consider that you not only have an impact on others, but your actions have consequences."

Despite his gritted teeth and furrowed brow, Kai does seem regretful as he turns away. Which is something he does a lot, Zane notes absently.

“What would you have done if I had not been the one to get to you first? What would you do if the secretary or the principal found you, kicked you out, and then you lost every chance at every lead at finding your sister? How could you be so irresponsible—?”

Kai’s eyes nearly flash red in the lighting. “Don’t you _dare_ call me irresponsible—!”

“You can be responsible in some ways and the opposite in others, you know.” Zane puts a hand to his chin. “Hmm, in fact, you are a bit like Cole now that I think about it…”

Kai’s so overwhelmed at this point that he can’t even talk, red in the face and hands clenched at his sides. Zane appraises him quietly—so much emotion for such a small body. But Zane also doesn’t like how this feels like they’re arguing, so he tries to start patching together his point.

"I grew up being taught that my actions could be used to improve people's lives. And day after day, I have to contend with the fact that there are those in need who deny any assistance or refuse to listen to a friendly word of advice. I have to contend with the fact that there are people like _you_ in the world, who'd rather suffer in solitude than admit that they were wrong or incapable."

And now it's Kai's turn to be startled speechless. Perhaps they both know how to cut with their words, although it's a skill Zane doesn't like to use often. 

"Such a response to my actions makes me feel like there is no point in trying sometimes…but I try anyway, because I believe that others are worth putting faith in, regardless of whether or not it may benefit myself. And maybe, I can convince them of the worth they have for themselves."

“Let me guess,” Kai says tightly, like there’s a lump in his throat. “You thought you saw something special in me, and that turned out to be wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time—"

“ _No_.” Zane levels him with a look, more serious than anything he’s managed previously. “I _know_ I saw something special about you. And I know you shouldn’t have to carry your burdens by yourself anymore, even if you feel like you should.”

Zane’s not really sure what to do next—Kai’s rooted to the spot, still gripping Olivia’s file like a lifeline. Zane steps over and plucks it out of his hand, placing it back where it belongs. And now, the only trace of their presence in the office is just the fact that they’re still standing there.

“Shall we get out of here?” Zane suggests in his usual calm tone. Kai nods, unusually quiet.

The two manage to slip outside the door undetected. They barely manage to get to their lockers before they witness the secretary dragging a disheveled and shirtless Cole down the hall. Cole whoops before he spots Zane, giving him a thumbs up and a wink. Zane looks aghast but nevertheless returns the gesture.

“…should I ask?” Kai coughs. Zane shakes his head.

“That is one thing not even I could hope to explain.”

They fall into an awkward silence then, one that’s about to break with the ending of the lunch period. Kai shuffles in place, uncomfortable with the idea of leaving things like this but still unsure of what to say.

“Hey, um…” is his brilliant start. Zane stands patiently, giving him his full attention. “…are you _this_ brutal with everyone you give advice to?"

And again, Kai wastes no time in evading Zane's expectations.

"It does appear that I think about things more…intensely than most people." Looking back, Zane did come down pretty relentlessly. He can't even recall being this thorough with Jay or Cole, actually. "…I apologize if I came off as heavy-handed; I only wanted to stop you from making a mistake."

Kai faces him once again, raising an eyebrow. “Why are _you_ apologizing?! I’m the one giving you a hard time…"

Ah, interesting. So Kai at least _knows_ he did something wrong. Zane goes to call him out, or at least bring it up but Kai scowls and faces away again, continuing to speak.

"And, for what it's worth, I don’t think it's a bad thing—thinking too deeply, that is." Kai scuffs his foot along the floor. "If more people took time to think things over, then there would be more people like you, willing to put themselves at risk to make someone else feel better, or to stop them from getting in a bad way."

Right as those words hit Zane in heart, he realizes that _this_ is how Kai apologizes.

He can't help feeling a little smug as he says, "And by 'people', do you mean you?"

Kai huffs. "Only hypothetically."

"But of course."

And for a third time today Zane's surprised, as Kai turns to him and actually _smiles_. It shocks Zane into smiling too, as despite the previous hostility, it now feels like they're both in on some kind of private joke. And, maybe, there's a chance they can see eye to eye after all. 

“…just be careful who you lash out against next time," Zane warns gently, much less stern than before. "Most people will not be as forgiving as I.”

"…I'll keep that in mind," Kai says at last. Zane nods, more than content with that answer. It’s a baby step, but a step forward regardless.

But anyway, back to business—Zane pulls a small booklet out of his pocket, rips out one of the pages, and slaps it on Kai’s head. It sticks to one of the spikes in his hair.

"All being said, I'm giving you detention tomorrow for the breaking, entering, and ransacking of the school office."

Kai flails around, struggling to remove the detention slip from his hair-do. "Wait, what—?!"

"Like I said," Zane says, walking off as the bell signals the end of lunch. "Your actions have consequences."

* * *

Kai stays after school, which is something he never thought he’d be doing in his otherwise short life. But with his newly gathered intel and a pinch of luck, the occult club just so happens to hold its meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays. Olivia may not be present—she certainly hadn’t been at metal shop today—but there’s still enough people for Kai to interrogate.

“Welcome, outsider,” a girl with green elf ears greets. “For what quest have the winds blown you into our domain?”

Kai really is underprepared; he didn’t think he’d have to speak another language.

“I, uh…I seek knowledge of the one known as Olivia?”

The girl nods in approval—or at the very least, she appreciates his effort.

“The Grand Master herself…it’s been a few sun cycles since I’ve seen her myself, but perhaps…you’ll have better luck in the MoM corner.”

She lifts an arm to gesture towards the back of the room, where various costumed students gather around a table. Several boards, dozens of dice, and quite a few set pieces decorate the table, and everyone involved looks deeply invested in what’s going on.

“Uh, hi,” Kai gracefully interrupts. Seven pairs of eyes glare at him with the unmatched fury of a bear disturbed from rest.

“Bold must you be, outsider, to traipse upon our collective in such a disrespectful fashion!

Okay, Kai can’t deal with this anymore.

“Look, I’ll make this short—" Kai plants a hand on the table, making it shake. “—you’re all familiar with Olivia Omar, correct?”

“What’s it to ya?” grunts one rather large kid, taking his role of the game’s bartender a bit too seriously.

“I need to know if she’s mentioned anything about a map recently. It…could be related to why my sister has gone missing.”

For the first time in the two days that he’s been here, Kai gets looks of sympathy for once. The guise of game drops slowly as the group trades concerned glances. Kai already knows he’s not going to like whatever he hears.

"She…never told us anything like that," the DM says, confusion written all over his face. "In fact, she's hasn't even been showing up for meetings for almost two weeks now."

"Which sucks, because we never finished our other MoM campaign, and I was about to win!" yells a girl from the corner. Another boy speaks up, nodding.

"Yeah, and she owes me money!"

“She’s been saying some crazy stuff like ‘the dead could walk among us!’ or ‘darkness shall fall’ and taking it way beyond our usual conspiracies…”

“But we never heard anything about a map,” the DM repeats again, looking remorse. “And…sorry to hear about your sister.

Kai can barely register anyone in the room now—he gives a rushed and hushed goodbye as he stumbles back into the hall, the world swaying with his steps.

This can’t be, this _can’t_ be…!

If Nya only told Olivia, and Olivia _didn't_ tell any of her friends who then told someone else…

"The snake in the school…" Horror chokes each of Kai's words. "…was Olivia the whole time."


	6. Slept on Thursday Just to Get It Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garmadon's armies begin moving forward with their plans; Kai and Cole work together to get the drop on them.

The Underworld welcomes no one. Those that fall into its depths—whether by death through dishonor or other undesirable means—will experience a drop into darkness that rivals no others. Emptiness serves as the sky, shadows serve as the earth, and only beings born of its bleakness can traverse between this realm and that of Ninjago.

Or so it was, until Garmadon rose to power.

Now at the center of a once fully-barren wasteland sits a castle built from ash and bones, illuminated only by the lingering light of the souls who reside there. Once belonging to the Skulkin, it now houses the Commander of Chaos and King of Shadows himself, ruling with a fist of shade and unwavering evil.

Skeletons march in on the daily to serve their respects to such a fear-striking man, for those that dare to act otherwise find themselves faced with a fate worse than death—and one few dare to speak of. But beyond the skeletons, there were those who were dedicated to Garmadon's cause of their own accord. They believed that the changes he would bring to Ninjago could push it in a better direction for the future…and had a tendency to dress up like fish-creatures, earning them the name of “Shark Army”.

With the Skulkin's ability to travel between the realms, and the Shark Army's knowledge of modern Ninjago, the two both provide benefit to the plans of Lord Garmadon.

Even if, at most times, the two factions can rarely get along.

"How long will this take?! We’re going on three days!" Samukai's voice booms throughout the castle. His subordinates—Kruncha, Nuckal, and Wyplash—appropriately cower, but just the same, Nuckal wastes no time in agreeing with him.

"Y-Yeah sir! If Lord Garmadon had put you in charge of interrogating the prisoner, I bet you'd be done already!"

"Suck up," scoffs Kruncha, slapping Nuckal in the head and letting it spin around like a top.

"I believe he said it was because this required a 'more human' touch?" Wyplash recalls. "…but if it were me, I'd just beat the answer out of 'em!"

"Which is probably what Lord Garmadon doesn't want, for whatever reasons he may have." Samukai huffs, folding all four of his arms. "I still think it's way more effective than just 'talking it out' though."

"Is THAT what you think we are doing?"

A fifth voice enters the conversation—Kruncha, Nuckal, and Wyplash immediately scramble around, crashing into each other and mixing up their bones before making a hasty exit. Samukai stands his ground though, even as one of the Shark Generals advances upon him from the catacombs. The head of a Great White Shark serves as his helmet, while a suit of blue adorned with red ribbons and gold medals shows off just how highly ranked he is, one brooch in particular larger than the rest.

"The prisoner has been weakened from our battle, and on top of her rationed supply of food and water, she is not in the mental state to refuse our demands if she wants the suffering to end. To 'beat her', as you so eloquently put, would not only risk her losing her will to live, but would also risk accidentally doing damage that would be…detrimental to our cause."

The General's eyes are sharp as he stares into Samukai's empty ones.

"So, surely, you can see the logic in allowing my daughter to handle this task. She's managed to get two of the locations from the girl, and we're already making preparations to excavate the Caves of Despair as we speak."

Samukai's jaw nearly falls off his skull. "…what?! When did all this happen?! How come no one tells me anything?!"

"Perhaps, because you are irrelevant to this mission and because you are a liability to it."

"How _dare_ you!" Samukai barks, jabbing the tip of one of his bone knives into the General's chest. It clinks off of one of his badges. "You wouldn't even be able to get down here without the help of our magic and machines, or have you forgotten that, General Omar?!"

"That's General Number One to you," Omar scoffs, barely sparing Samukai a look. "And without our more methodical approaches and knowledge of modern Ninjago, you and your kind would have botched this mission from the start! You should consider it an honor and a privilege to lend your services to our cause. Now, I have some factions to deploy; I must be on my way."

Omar gives Samukai a curt bow before continuing on his way.

He walks past the chamber room—the prisoner sits chained to the floor, exhausted beyond all reason, and barely able to stay sitting up. A bowl of water and a plate of food are situated just out of her reach, and General Number Two sits before her, the map spread along the floor. The General slaps at the paper; the prisoner barely responds.

"C'mooon already, you've only got two more locations to translate," she growls. "Just tell me the last two, and you can eat like a queen! Heck, I could even talk Lord Garmadon into giving you a roomy cell, rather than being chained here like an animal…"

The prisoner doesn't move. If possible, she slumps even more, chest heaving with each effort. The General winces, but she hides it well.

"…could you at _least_ tell me what this writing is? It's not in any language I've ever seen, or even any ancient text, and yet, you're near fluent in it…which I find incredibly suspicious, just so you know."

At this, the prisoner perks up a bit. Not entirely, and not even in a positive way, but it seems life persists in her yet.

"…it's derived…from ancient Ignacian," she says, her head lolling to the side. "My mother’s a descendant but my father’s the one who made a code from the symbols…"

Somehow, this doesn't surprise the General.

"…does your brother know this language too?"

The prisoner actually scoffs a little.

"Brother…can barely read…at all…forget that…" She softens a little, eyes heavy with sadness. "…not his fault. Maybe mine. Should've…helped…more…"

The General believes her. Which, unfortunately, also rules out Kai as a potential alternate for deciphering the map. Sure, the general areas themselves are easy to pick out—the harsh frozen north, and the mountain range in the west for example—but going in blindly to those nature-made labyrinthine death traps would do no one any good. They could spend so much wasted time picking through the tundra or checking every peak.

"…I think you already do enough," the General sighs. She stands, making the prisoner tense with panic, but all she does is gather up the map and the food items and prepare to leave for the night. "But, maybe, there's always more you can do too. In the meantime, you'll hopefully be more hungry…and chatty…tomorrow."

She whirls around and heads for the door, the prisoner looking the most alive she's been the whole session. The chains rattle as her arms lurch in protest, desperately grabbing for the nourishment she's being denied. The General remains deaf to her whimpered pleas, knowing the prisoner will give in again the next morning, just as she had before.

" _Please_ ," the prisoner croaks, and, well, that's new. The sound comes out cracked and rough with how dry her throat is. The amount of desperation dripping from a single word has General Number Two stopping in her tracks.

…and then, angrily, she kicks the bowl of water along the floor, stopping just within drinking range. The clanging of the prisoner's chains comes to a stop.

The General hates to admit it, but _she_ knows how much the prisoner needs water, even if the prisoner herself doesn’t.

"…don't say I didn't do anything for you. But if my dad has to come in here, don't expect him to be so kind. You've been warned."

The prisoner looks up, gray eyes shimmering with gratitude.

"Thank you," she says, much less strangled than before. The General just scoffs, continuing to take her leave.

"…Save your thanks for someone that deserves it next time."

* * *

Detention is like a second home for Cole.

Okay, listen, it _sounds_ bad, but really Cole’s just getting a sweet deal here.

It’s no secret that Jay and Zane tend to be…targets for other kids’ disapproval, and unlike everyone else in this useless school, the last thing Cole is going to do is just stand there and let it happen. And sure, _maybe_ he’s just as bad when he throws someone all the way down the hall, or figuratively and literally making them eat dirt in the courtyard, but _he_ wasn’t the one making fun of someone’s speech impediment, or their intelligence, or the way they happen to look—

Well, in any case, Cole thinks he’s justified, and someone in the faculty must as well, because the most he ever gets is just several days worth of detention. The truth is they probably just don’t want to deal with the problem in a more permanent (and public) way, but like Cole said, it all works out.

Better him than his friends, anyway— _they’ve_ actually got good things going for them, and families to make proud. Cole…lacks in those departments.

…However, today is a “Zane Detention” day—which only means Zane happened to be the one to smack him with a slip for a random misdemeanor. Skipping class, chewing gum, running in the hall, eating food during class, listening to music at “inappropriate times”…those are the usual suspects, but today’s punishment is for the little incursion Zane _told_ him to cause yesterday.

“I’m sorry,” Zane had mouthed to him, passing Cole a detention slip as the secretary nodded in approval. He _did_ keep his promise to keep Cole out of detention _yesterday_ , but it seems that was just exchanged for today instead.

Cole’s not mad though. He knows Zane has a little bit of rep to uphold, and there’s always a tiny part of him that knows he deserves some kind of retribution. But all he needs is his headphones and a good playlist and he’s set for whatever amount of time he’s cooped up.

At the moment, his headphones hang around his neck as he scrolls through his phone for a good jam to vibe to. Detention is being held by the custodian today, but he’s half-asleep at the teacher's desk, and it seems like no one else is arriving. Cole settles in for another peaceful lunchtime—

“Get IN there!” He hears Zane yell—as much as Zane _can_ yell with an indoor voice—and Cole wonders what unfortunate sap tried to dodge a Zane Detention this time.

Kai suddenly takes up the entire doorway, using both arms and legs to fasten himself to the frame. Zane’s trying to get him inside using forceful words and not actual force, and it’s…a little bit amusing to watch.

“I don’t have _time_ for this, Zane—!”

“You do the crime, you do the time. Do not make me get the principal involved.”

Kai practically growls in protest but somehow that’s the card that makes him fold. He collapses into the nearest desk and hisses like a scorned animal; Zane merely nods in approval before taking his leave.

Cole doesn’t know exactly what’s going on, but he’s sure going to find out.

“Sooo…” he begins, desk-hopping until he gets into Kai’s hearing range. “What are ya in for, kid?”

Kai dares to look back, sees Cole, and proceeds to flop on the desk again.

“Of course,” Kai mumbles into the wood. Cole does his best to not be offended.

“What? It was just a question. I’m in for instigating a riot at the gym yesterday. The freshmen are surprisingly easy to convince.”

At first Kai doesn’t say anything, either ignoring Cole or just not hearing him. But then he sighs and sinks in his chair, still not looking at Cole, but at least not ignoring him.

“I broke into the principal’s office and tried to steal a student file.”

“No _way!”_ Cole slaps at his desk. He’s both impressed and deeply concerned. “And Zane only gave you _one_ day of detention for that?! You must’ve really made him feel bad for you or something—"

Kai scowls. Cole coughs, deciding he doesn’t want any of the details.

“…er, anyway, what were you even looking for? Hope it was worth all the trouble—"

“Do you _always_ talk this much?” Kai asks, rubbing his temples. Cole shoots him the same look back.

“You’ve met Jay. You know I could be worse.”

Kai takes a moment to think that over. “…touché.”

Cole eases up then, leaning back in his chair and kicking his feet up. Kai stays hunched over his own desk. It’s like he’s either trying to be defensive or just poising for an attack. Maybe it’s both.

“…jeez man, I’m just trying to get to know you before I make a call on your character and all that, like _you_ said on Tuesday.” Cole sighs and folds his arms. “So far, all I got is that you’re angry and constantly on guard. Why don’t you surprise me and show me something new?”

Kai glowers at him; Cole shrugs. The challenge is on the table, and now it’s up to Kai as to whether or not he’ll prove Cole wrong. The latter is more likely, which is something _else_ Cole has gathered about Kai, but he’ll keep that card close to his chest for now.

As if on cue, Kai spins around in his seat, brandishing all the papers he’d been hunching over. And, to his credit, it’s definitely a surprise to Cole.

"…I'm trying to scope out some possible locations Olivia may be hiding at. She hasn't been at school since I confronted her about tipping off the skeletons, hence why I went to the source looking for her file. If she's really involved with this whole thing, then she'd need somewhere other than her house to conduct her business…"

Cole blinks, trying to hide how impressed he is. He never would have pegged Kai as a guy to tackle some strategy, but, lo and behold.

"The occult club gave me some locations she hangs out at a lot, but…I'm not sure how much good that will do when I don’t know where to start.”

Cole immediately puts a hand to his chin, trying to puzzle it out for himself.

"Well, if like you said, she's avoiding the first places people would think to look for her, being school and her home…then she'd want to go somewhere else; somewhere familiar to her, but someplace people wouldn't think to look. A place she could blend in, despite how much she stands out in the look and personality departments…"

Kai actually perks up a bit—his face is still on the sour side, but he’s much less guarded than before. He takes his stack of papers and plops them onto Cole’s desk with something akin to excitement.

"Do you think one of these locations could be it? I'm…not that familiar with the city, so I'm not really sure what's what…"

Now it’s Cole’s turn to brighten up, happy to take a look. After all, roaming the city aimlessly is one of his favorite hobbies.

The first page is a list of shops Olivia frequents—helpful, certainly, but weak as a lead. The odds of running into her around those places at the right time are slim. The second page is her favorite restaurants—one of them being a _heavily_ underlined smoothie place—and the third page is full of random hangout spots. The movie theater, museum, aquarium… again, nothing too reliable…

But ah, _this_ one looks promising.

Cole smacks the page in his excitement, face breaking into a grin.

"…oh, hey, is this talking about the Rockshot Club? Down off Main Street?"

Kai blinks, leaning forward to see for himself. “Uh, I guess…?"

"I used to go there all the time!" Cole beams with pride. "I even picked up a few gigs as a DJ there. The place attracts a lot of weird types, but hey, money is money sometimes."

Well, Kai can't disagree with that.

“Anyway, they’ve also got a small motel built in the back, so if she was looking for a place to crash, it’s a double whammy! And, if she’s as eccentric as you say, then no one would even bat an eye at her! I mean, there's this one chick that works there who—"

"SO I take it you'd know how to get there?" Kai interrupts, coughing. Cole cuts himself off with a grin- perhaps he _has_ been hanging around Jay a bit too often.

"Tch, I can do ya one better than that! We can go right now!"

"…right _now?_ " Of all the things they've dealt with this week, somehow _that's_ the thing that makes Kai think twice?! Cole blows a raspberry. "We're in detention, we can't just walk out—!”

"Sure we can! Watch!"

Cole proceeds to spring out of his chair and waltz right out the door. The janitor, still blissfully lost in slumber, pays no mind to the action. Kai still gives Cole a look of disbelief.

"…somehow I get the feeling you should be scolding me for even thinking about playing hooky, instead of encouraging it…"

Cole barks out a laugh. "There's a _lot_ of things I could chew you out for, but that is definitely not one of them! I'll be the last person to tell someone else to go to school…would hate to be a hypocrite. Anything else is fair game, though."

Cole can tell Kai wants to unwrap _that_ little tidbit, so he quickly distracts by dragging Kai out of his seat and hauling him down the hall. Kai does little to protest, so Cole assumes this means the plan is a-go. In fact, at some point Kai's the one tugging Cole to their lockers. There's even a wide grin on his face—which, frankly, is the first time Cole's seen Kai fully smile like that. It's strange, but like, a _good_ strange.

"How are we supposed to get to this weird hotel-club though?" Kai asks, checking his locker to make sure he's got everything important—like his homework, phone, and a sword sheath. "Walking? The bus? Subway? Because lemme tell ya, I don't have _any_ kind of fare—"

Next thing Kai knows, there’s a helmet thrust against his stomach, briefly knocking the wind out of him. Cole winks at him, now spinning a set of keys around on his finger.

* * *

Kai's barely had a chance to really tour Ninjago City on his own time. Sure, he's been around the block a few times for things too hard to find in Ignacia—including a high school—but actually taking in just how much of a modern marvel it all is? Not a chance.

Although, he's not sure how much luckier he is this time, given the insane speed Cole's tearing down the highways on his motorbike.

"I'm pretty sure we should have been there already…!" Kai yells over the purr of the engine and the roar of the wind. Cole just laughs, head thrown back and long black locks whipping in the breeze. Kai briefly thinks about how Cole should be the one wearing the helmet, really. Might keep in some sanity.

"Don't worry—we're just taking the long way around!”

And Kai would love to protest this, but there’s something freeing about flying down a nearly empty highway in the early afternoon with only a vague destination in mind. Even in daylight the city glows with splendor and the promise of moving forward. It makes him wonder what the nightlife looks like…y'know, when there's not skeletons and shark people lurking in the shadows.

He also briefly wonders if this is what it's like for Nya when she takes her motorcycle to school. When she first proposed building something like that, Kai couldn't quite understand the appeal, but now…

Well, he might just have to find a ride for himself when this whole mess is over.

“I like your bike!” yells Kai over the roar of the wind. He doesn’t even need to see Cole’s face to hear the sheer grin in his voice.

"This ol' thing is nothing compare to what Nya's got," Cole chuckles, making a sharp turn. Kai yelps and clings tighter to Cole. "But Jay and Zane whipped this up for my birthday last year! I don't ride it that often, since filling her up is pretty expensive…but this is a special occasion!"

Kai’s jaw drops. "They made you a whole vehicle?!"

"Yeah! Zane's great at estimating and measuring out specifications on blueprints, Jay's great at getting the parts and putting it all together…and I guess I'm good for testing out everything they manage to make! Made for a pretty kickass gift, if you ask me. I have no idea what I'm going to do for them in return though…"

"They must really like designing things like this…Is that why they started up the robotics club?"

"Yup." Cole hits the throttle and starts swerving his way around cars going too slow for his tastes. "They were hoping to use their talents to get back in good graces with the school, but they couldn't get the attention they wanted. Things weren't looking too good…and then, Nya showed up. In a single afternoon, she had us convinced that we'd actually managed to do something _right._ "

Emotions flood every one of Cole’s words. Kai can tell how much Jay and Zane mean to him, along with how much of an impact Nya managed to make on all of them. It only goes to show that when Cole said they didn’t want anything bad to happen to her, he _meant_ it…

And Kai had yelled at him for it.

“She’s pretty cool, man,” Cole continues, just as he exits the freeway and heads off to Main Street. “Really nice, super funny, smart as heck, even giving Jay a run for his money! You're lucky to have a sister like that."

"I really am," Kai agrees. "…and that's why I've gotta get her back."

They pull into the empty, tiny parking lot of a stashed away building, squished between two towering skyscrapers. A neon signs sits unlit upon its rooftop, reading "ROCKSHOT" and nothing else. Cole flawlessly slides into one of the parking spots, turning off the bike. His shoulders relax for the first time this whole trip…which also reminds Kai to let go of him.

"That's why we _all_ want to get her back." Now free from Kai's killer grip, Cole climbs off the bike and looks Kai in the eye. "She didn't deserve any of this. And we've gotta make that right."

Kai steels himself, nodding silently in agreement. Cole nods back, taking his helmet and hanging it on the bike handle. And from there, he waltzes up to the entrance of the rather shady establishment like he owns the place. …it wouldn't shock Kai if he did.

Doubts are still at the forefront of Kai's mind right now, but if Cole's got good things to say about this place, then…maybe it won't be so bad.

Cole busts the doors open with a defiant kick, and immediately bumping music pours out. There's only about a puddle of people on a dance floor that could fit an ocean, but they're still wiggling about like it's the middle of the night of the weekend. Kai glances at Cole—the other boy is clearly in his element, head and shoulders already vibrating to the beat while high-fiving and grinning at people he must have met at least once.

Kai, who is definitely not in his element, does his best to stick close to Cole as they weave between dancing individuals and make their way to the back. Unfamiliar vibes aside, the place is clean, welcoming, and definitely knows how to get the blood pumping, so it's not _as_ shady as Kai originally thought… but he's still keeping an eye out. The one dude passed out in the corner isn't as promising of a prospect.

Kai tries to follow Cole's lead without being obvious about it. It's tricky to do when Cole seems to know all the right people to talk to and all the ones to avoid. Kai can't even pretend to be half as savvy, and the winks and finger guns he's tossing at people don't seem to be buying him any favors. Everyone's a critic.

"Yo, Tox!" Eventually Cole spots someone promising, waving over at the current DJ at the turntables. Kai peeks around Cole to see a girl dressed to the nines in neon lime, which includes her hair, eye shadow, lipstick, and…freckles…and her _eyes—_?!

"Is she _okay?"_ Kai whispers, wondering if this girl has contracted some kind of tropical disease. Or maybe green spots are a new tattoo trend going around. Cole elbows him for it.

"She was _born_ that way—don’t be insensitive. You don't see me calling the doctors for _your_ taste in hair style."

"That's not the same…!"

Kai can't finish his argument—"Tox" catches sight of Cole, giving him a smirk and a wave before blasting a new jam to play on the speakers. She sashays in front of the table and leans against it, only now acknowledging Kai's presence with an eyebrow raise.

"Sup, Cole. You bring us a new one off the streets or something?" she asks, still silently gesturing in Kai's direction. "Or didja wanna pick up a shift? Things haven't been the same since you started those….martial art lessons?"

"Ahaha, not today, Tox," Cole hurriedly says, which Kai finds almost as suspicious as the green vials strapped to Tox's belt. "We're actually here for some information on a potential client from the last few days."

"Mmmm…" Tox chews hardily on her gum. "Can't exactly be giving info about customers willy nilly…so, ask me a different question."

“How do you two know each other?” Kai interrupts. He knows that’s not the most important thing here, but while they’re on a tangent, he might as well settle his curiosity. It’s not every day you meet a green girl after all.

Cole tries to bypass the question. “I told you I’ve worked here before—!”

“He also used to live here,” Tox supplies with a sharp yet fond smile. “Year or two back, when I was still a part-timer, he turned up with nothing but the clothes on his back, looking for a place to crash and get some grub. Offered his services in exchange, and bam—best DJ we ever had…besides myself, of course.”

“People just don’t appreciate the classic sounds of vinyl,” Cole notes with a click of his tongue. “…but this is really off topic—!”

“Oh come on, you barely visit anymore! What’s a quick little trip down memory lane?” Tox blows a bubble with her gum. The following ‘pop’ is somehow heard over the music. “Not only were you one heck of a musical man, you could also _really_ tear up a dance floor—“

“OFF TOPIC,” Cole insists again, just as Kai is deeply considering buying some popcorn from the snack bar. “Listen, we just need to know if there’s been a strange kinda girl staying here lately.”

"Do you mean _besides_ me?" Tox asks, bored. Cole shoots her a look. "…yeah, there has been. But lots of girls stay here. And it depends on your definition of ‘strange’.”

"How about skeletons?" Kai blurts out, too impatient to beat around the bush like this. Cole nearly slaps him.

 _"Kai—_!"

"Oh yeah, lots of them skulking around lately." Tox picks at her chipping nail polish. Cole gapes at her. "…what? Unlike your mystery girl, those skeletal creeps aren't paying customers. They’ve practically taken over the whole block. I can tell ya whatever you want to know about _them._ "

This is already going way better than Cole expected, but Kai pounces at the mere suggestion of some dirt on the Skulkin.

"What have they been doing here?!" Kai demands. "And if they're not paying, then why are you letting them gather?!"

Tox levels Kai with a look that could kill. "Well what would _you_ do if a bunch of skeletons outnumbered you twenty to one and demanded a base of operations while threatening you with otherworldly weapons?"

"Fight them," Kai whispers. Tox shakes her head.

"Sure, hothead. But this place _also_ doubles as a shelter for those with truly nowhere else to go…and it would suck to put a bunch of innocents at risk. So, I let them have their way to keep everyone else safe. Apparently they've got contacts in the city that they meet up with behind the building, and this area of town is perfect for remaining inconspicuous…"

Kai can feel Cole tense up beside him. It makes sense, given that this place is apparently personal to him, but it's also the first time Kai's seen this guy angry…and it's not directed at _him_.

"You're being harassed by skeletons and you haven't done anything about it? C'mon Tox!" Cole exclaims. "I know you're more clever than that, or you shoulda at least gone to the police—!”

"Cops don't do anything," says both Tox and Kai. They trade glances; Tox continues. "I tried going to them but they just—!”

"Laughed you off once you mentioned the undead? Yeah, tell me about it," Kai huffs. "Sometimes you just gotta handle things on your own."

"Exactly." Tox clenches her fists. "I don't know what they're planning, but it's obviously nothing pleasant. They're getting more proactive, though—I think they're about to head off somewhere. One of 'em mentioned 'not having to come back for a while'."

Alarm bells go off in Kai's mind—they're switching locations?! If they go into the unknown and take Nya with them, that'll put him right back at square one…! Or worse, what if they leave Nya where she is and head off to whatever location, leaving him without any kind of lead?!

Kai's heart nearly pounds out of his chest. "Tox, do you know where they might be going?!"

"…no. But there’s still a few of them back there if you wanted to, say, happen to overhear their conversation?” Tox suggests. Kai lights up; Cole holds him back. 

“It’s already enough that you’ve been harboring these guys; now you’d just let us walk back there into potential danger?!”

“Oh _please_ , Cole—" Kai shrugs the hand off his shoulder and glares. “—like you couldn’t fight them off like you did on Monday.”

“Just because you _can_ fight doesn’t mean you always _should_. It’s not the answer to everything.” Cole stares at the wall behind Kai. “Besides, _you’re_ the one that brought swords.”

“It’s _practical_ —!”

“Well, as much as I’d love to stand here and watch this squabble, I have work to do.” Tox snaps her fingers between the boys before whirling on her heels and walking off. “If you’re going to stake them out, you know where to go. See ya later, Cole and friend.”

Kai would like to point out that he has a name and isn’t _really_ Cole’s friend, but Cole ruins that chance with his own goodbye. He heads off in the other direction, beckoning Kai to follow. Kai sighs, once more finding himself taking after Cole's lead.

* * *

So that’s how Kai finds himself on this fine afternoon sitting dangerously on the edge of a rickety fire escape, legs dangling off the side as he samples a sandwich he did not pay for. Cole insisted they needed full stomachs in case some skeletons did show up, but before Kai could dig out some nonexistent cash to pay for a snack, Cole was already shoving a panini into his possession.

Kai acts like it’s not the best thing he’s ever eaten since Zane’s sushi, but Cole can see right through him. Still, that’s not for Cole to judge.

"I used to come out here a lot," Cole says, even though he frowns at the ground two stories below them. "Whenever I needed a quiet moment away from the music, this was the place to be…"

A place away from the harsh realities, a place away from the constant demand for attention; a reminder that even in a wide, bustling city one could still feel alone. Sometimes, that's just what was needed.

Kai takes it in, trying to feel what drew Cole to this place. He doesn't feel anything, other than bubbling aggravation at the few Skulkin milling around in the alley, just out of sight. But, well, they're not really _doing_ anything either—so any passersby don't give them a second thought.

It then occurs to Kai that, just maybe, _this_ was how he'd missed them stalking him the first time. They'd been hiding in plain sight, but he'd been too preoccupied to pay them any attention.

"…still, they know these streets way too well for denizens of the Underworld," Kai muses, more to himself than to Cole. Cole perks up an ear anyway. "They'd have to have some connections here to figure out the area with so much confidence."

"Yeah, even you couldn't name off some of the trendiest places without help, and yet the skeletons managed to find the Rockshot Club," adds Cole. Kai shoots him a look, but lets the topic die.

A small part of him hopes Olivia makes the mistake of showing herself—sure, there's a chance she may not be staying here after all. But the fact that skeletons are gathering around the area _can't_ be a coincidence. And if Kai tells himself that enough, maybe it'll become true.

But instead, a man dressed in navy rounds the corner, shoulders adored in gold and head dressed with that of a shark. A few similarly-dressed shark people flank behind him, and skeletons start pouring out of every conceivable hiding spot in the narrow alley. What's gone from an innocuous loitering turns into an assembly of the strangest kind.

Kai does a silent scream and starts shaking Cole.

"Shut up, Cole, it's happening!!"

"Wha-?! I wasn't even-!"

"SHHHH!"

Cole rolls his eyes but keeps his mouth shut; it's already pretty hard to hear with how high up they are. Still, the apparent General's booming voice manages to echo around the walls and up to them.

"I'll keep this brief, gentlebones," General Omar declares, adjusting his sash. "Your faction has been selected to traverse the northernmost sector of Ninjago. Our…source of intel has indicated something of potential interest in the area, and so we need someone to do recon to scout out a possible approach."

"And why can't any of _your_ faction go?!" snaps a skeleton in a jester hat, a few Skulkin chiming in too. The General's face goes from neutral to annoyed.

"Because, your kind will obviously fare better in the environment—the threat of frostbite is not one you'd face. My faction, meanwhile, is currently assisting Samukai in the plans for the excavation at the Caves of Despair. They may have the numbers, but we've got the proper equipment."

Murmurs drift across the crowd full of reluctant agreement. Omar finds some semblance of a smile again, folding his arms behind him.

"By the day after tomorrow, we should have the first Golden Weapon in our possession, and should you do your job adequately, we'll also have the second. From this point, it should only take you a day's time to reach the upper fjords, hence why I've called you all here."

"Any word on the other weapon locations?" asks a skeleton in big black boots. The General glances off to the side.

"…my daughter has yet to pull that information from our…informant. But Lord Garmadon also says we may not even need the other locations if everything goes as he expects it to."

Kai gains a white-knuckle grip on the railing. If they don't need the locations anymore, then they don't need _Nya_ anymore.

It can't—it can't already be too late…?!

"You must be joking—ever since we learned of the map, the locations of the weapons are all Lord Garmadon has been talking about!" exclaims a small skeleton in the front. "There's no way he'd just give up on them before we've even managed to get _one—_ "

"Do _not_ question the whims of Lord Garmadon!" Omar booms, casting his hand and his cape out before him. Everyone present goes rigid. "If he says he sees the bigger picture, then we are all inclined to believe him. He has never been wrong on _that_ front."

No one says a word after that. As if sensing the tension he's caused, the General coughs and straightens up again, nodding to his two shark lackeys.

"In any case, I hope that leaves you with something to think about on your way to the Glacier Barrens. Remember what you're fighting for…hollow as your reasons may be."

All the skeletons hesitate for a moment, but then bow before the General. Satisfied, Omar and his two cohorts return from the way they came. The Skulkin, meanwhile, continue to linger and mumble amongst themselves about their apparent new assignment.

Above them, Kai's eyes sparkle with renewed vigor, while Cole's are lowered with intrigue.

"…so there's people from Ninjago working with the creeps from the Underworld," Cole deduces, clenching his hands around the railing. "That explains how the skeletons know their way around the city…"

"And how they managed to drag my sister to a whole other realm," says Kai through gritted teeth, rising to his feet. Cole feels his heart jump into his throat when the fire escape groans in protest beneath them.

"Um, K-Kai?"

"Finally…we know where they're going to strike!" Kai stomps his foot with determination, making the fire escape wobble violently. "And Nya might be there…! Or I could just so happen to interrogate one of the weaker-willed skeletons…"

"Kai, be _careful!_ This thing isn’t—"

_SCREEEEAAAK_

Kai yells as the scaffolding gives out beneath him; Cole's quick to grab Kai, even though it means he's going to plummet too. Somehow, Cole manages to flip them mid-air so _he's_ the one that makes impact with the ground…but that—and the loud clatter of huge pieces of metal clanging against concrete—also has the unfortunate side-effect of alerting those around them.

"Cole?!" Kai exclaims, scrambling off his companion to make sure he's still alive. Cole groans in distress, and while he's probably going to feel THAT in the morning along with some bruises, he looks fine.

Kai sighs in relief, mind racing to figure out why Cole had even _done_ that; Kai was the one not paying attention, he should've—

A bone whizzes towards Kai's head; things fall into slow motion as the force of the wind brushes through his hair. For a passing moment, Kai's back on the training course, and he can hear the sound of one of the planks coming for his neck. He instinctively leans away, allowing the bone to keep sailing forward, crash into a wall, and clatter to the ground.

Reality snaps back into place, along with a deep, unsettling silence. When Kai comes back to himself, his pupils shrink before whirling around to glare at the offender.

A single skeleton quakes in his black boots, one hand outstretched from when he tossed his weapon. There's a whole group of them scattered in the alley behind him. Most of them are hiding behind the corner, now that they've been compromised, yet still wondering how this is all going to play out. The only other skeleton that dares to stand in the light is the one in the red and blue jester cap—but nothing on his face indicates a joking mood.

"Um…I may have missed," coughs Bonezai, his boots squeaking as he backs away slowly. Krazi, the one in the cap, punches him in the ribs.

"You idiot! You could've taken them out! Now you've just alerted them to our presence!"

"Yeah, like we WEREN'T going to hear the clattering of bones behind us eventually." Cole stands back up again, solid as ever. Kai watches as he undoes the cloth around his wrist and pulls his hair into a bun. This man really did just fall two stories and is already prepared to fight—Kai just might have a new hero. "So you've got a choice now—either walk away quietly, or rest in pieces regretting your decision to mess with us."

"Well we ain't leaving!" insists Krazi, pulling out a giant gold bone and wielding it like a sword. "If the Bosses and the Generals find out we let you walk, they'll do worse than whatever you think you can manage! And that's not even counting Lord Garmadon… so, you'd better square up!"

"Fine by me!" calls Kai, rolling up his sleeves in his own attempt to be intimidating. "Been waiting all week for a rematch with you boneheads!"

"You sure about this, Kai?" Cole asks, as if he himself isn't already limbering himself up. Kai does recognize the question for what it is—one more chance to back out, one more chance to not get hurt, one more chance to not end up like Nya.

But, for the first time in a long while, Kai actually likes his chances.

"If you think you're going to crack more skulls than me, you're gonna be _so mad._ "

Cole, against his better judgment, breaks into a smirk. "Heh, fine. Let's have at it, then!"

"Skulkin, CHARGE!" yells Bonezai, and for the second time this week, Kai and Cole find themselves faced with an army of skeletons pouring in from the crevices of an alley. Fortunately, today's horde isn't nearly as big as the one from the fateful night, but still…two against two dozen is hardly fair.

For the skeletons, that is.

With a forceful sort of grace, Cole goes straight into the eye of storm, sliding around and under attacks before countering with strikes of his own. Not caught off guard this time, Cole easily overpowers the weaker links in the group with punches and kicks, leaving them in broken piles as he promised. It's almost laughable, how they're supposed to be a _threat._

Krazi makes the mistake of screeching out a war cry. Cole catches the Golden Bone set to clobber him in the head, stopping it dead in its tracks, and uses it to flip Krazi over his head. Krazi rolls along the ground and Cole does the honors of taking the weapon for himself.

Bonezai runs into Cole's blind spot while he's distracted. He readies his pickaxe, but is stopped by the sudden draw of Kai's katanas. Kai smirks at this—good thing he brought _both_ to school today instead of just the one.

With a rallying shout, Kai slices through skeletons in the way he hadn't before. This time, he's more prepared, and some of his training finally gets a chance to kick in. He's spinning around their pitiful attacks like they're nothing, chopping off heads like knives through butter. Cole, who is more than holding his own with nothing but his fists, takes a moment to watch Kai pretty much massacre the skeletons all throwing themselves at him.

Krazi comes back for more though—the jester manages to strike Cole's back this time, sending the teen to the ground. Cole catches himself on his hands, working himself into a breakdancing spin that ends with a sharp kick outward, forcing Krazi backwards. Cole then pushes himself into the air, landing back on his feet with a grin. The force of momentum powers his swing, and he brings Krazi's own weapon down on him with a distressing-sounding _crunch._

"Nice!" Kai exclaims, twirling in and hoping to finish off Bonezai as well. Cole joins him in rounding on Bonezai, who's now standing off the side with teeth and bones clattering in fear. The remains of the small battalion don't look much better, especially not when Kai slides his swords together, sharpening them, while Cole cracks his knuckles and his neck.

"….retreat!" screeches Bonezai, desperately scooping up what he can of Krazi before making a break for it. The rest of the army follows his lead and starts screaming too, scrambling back and forth before deciding what direction to take to make their exit. Kai and Cole let them go, mainly because they're exhausted now, and because they now know where to head should they want to catch up.

"The Caves of Despair…" Kai whispers under his breath, gritting his teeth. He has no idea where in Ninjago that would even be, but surely Sensei Wu knows, and that'll make him one step closer to Nya.

Now he just has to prove himself in his training.

His mind’s going a mile a minute now, but Kai’s suddenly grounded by Cole’s hand landing on his back.

"You good?" Cole asks. Kai's panting and in desperate need of water, but he nods.

'Yeah…I'm just not used to fighting like that…"

"Well you could've fooled me!" Cole laughs, slapping him in the shoulder. Kai really hopes it's not dislocated now. "Using one weapon's tricky enough, yet you can handle two like nobody's business! Where'd you learn how to do that?!"

A half-smile takes over Kai's face at the praise. It's not often that he actually gets to use his sword skills for anything, let alone get praised for it, but...remembering _why_ he has them in the first place gives him mixed feelings.

"…my father taught me," Kai says truthfully, trying not to get lost in the memories of young afternoons spent swinging dangerous objects to his mother's objection and father's glee. "He always said that if you craft weapons, then you should also know how to use them. Makes you understand how they should feel in the hand better."

Cole nods, somber. "Yeah, I can see the logic in that. Wish my dad had taught me something that neat…"

"What, he didn't teach you how to punch the daylights out of a skeleton?"

Cole _snorts._

"Yeah right! …but I guess I do owe him a bit for my maneuverability. Makes my martial arts training a little easier."

"Well if you can fight like that, then I've gotta meet this teacher of yours!"

Cole, guiding them back out front to his bike, decides not to tell Kai that he already has.


	7. There's Something I Haven't Told You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Kai finally sets out to find the Golden Weapons, Wu's got a little something to explain...

On Thursday afternoon, the climb of impossible height makes Kai feel like he's flying, even with the heavy weight of homework dragging him down. In the three days he's had to make this climb, somehow this time feels different. He slows his impatient ascent for once, taking the time to blink, turn around, and witness the view of the vast city in the distance.

It's a bit strange, having this little corner of the past overlooking such a rapidly evolving society, but Kai wonders if part of that is the point. If anything of Wu's stories is true, then he's been holed up here for at least a generation or three—the inevitable march towards the future is a welcome one, but to leave one's roots behind isn't always practical. Perhaps Wu keeps watch from here to ensure that if there's need of the past, he'll be ready to provide it.

…or Wu just likes his old fashioned style of living. It could really go either way.

Kai tables that thought for now, finishing his ascent and busting through the doors of the monastery. He's not used to being the one coming home to someone else; normally _he_ does the waiting.

So it's familiar, the way Wu sits on the steps with a fresh pot of tea ready to be brewed and a greeting at the ready. Just in a different way.

"You look like trouble found you," Wu remarks. "…or you managed to find it."

"What I _found—_ " Kai tosses his backpack with a dramatic flair. Soon enough, he's not going to need it anymore. "…is where the skeletons plan to strike first: _The Caves of Despair!"_

Wu doesn't share in Kai's excitement. Instead, his face falls into a graver expression, eyes clouded with concern. Which is perhaps a more appropriate reaction, as the caves _probably_ aren’t named ‘despair’ for nothing.

"The Caves of Despair…that means they're targeting the Scythe of Quakes first. Should they get their hands on it, the power to cleave mountains will be theirs to wield…"

"Oooooh," goes Kai, imagining being able to crush a _mountain_.

"No 'oooh!'"

"…Fine, I take my 'oooh' back."

Wu does, to his credit, go on to explain: the Caves of Despair sit at the top of the highest mountain in the western range. Within them are an interconnecting mass of tunnels that miners once tried to scope out, but some had gone in too deep and never returned. Also known for shifting rocks and constantly eroding walls, to the point of even the mountain's peak caving in, few dare to step foot anywhere near it anyway.

“…and you thought it was a good idea to put an earthquake-causing scythe there becauuuuse…?”

“The Scythe’s power neutralizes the area. Once we remove it, we can expect an increase of seismic activity there. Escaping afterward will prove a challenge…which reminds me—“

Kai jumps when Wu begins to rise; he swears a mystifying smoke crosses the floor of the monastery. He hesitantly shifts his foot back.

"…you have training to complete today," Wu announces like it's a foregone conclusion. "Prove to me that what you learned will not go to waste should we head out tomorrow."

Somehow, that's the just the thing Kai needs to hear. Anticipation, excitement, and _drive_ bubble deep within him, and suddenly there's nothing more that Kai wants to do than rip into the training course.

A wicked grin spreads across Kai's face. It's both foreign and natural in the way it settles.

"…give me a sec."

Wu allows him that much. Kai grabs his hastily and prematurely abandoned backpack, then shuffles into the building and down towards the guest room. Everything has led to this moment; the moment to get Nya back, the moment to stop a bunch of thugs from causing mayhem, the moment to become a ninja… and there's a small part of his mind that thinks 'destiny' might not be so bad for once. Not if it decided he could be a _fighter_ instead of a bystander.

If he really is full of “the fire” as Sensei Wu keeps telling him, then he’s definitely feeling it today.

The waning afternoon seems to agree— the sky is clear, the sun beams down and empowers him, and even the winds blow in his favor. The vibes are strong; the time is now.

His stuff properly put away, Kai dresses in a black training gi he finds in one of the closets. He feels more like a ninja already.

When he steps back onto the course, Wu's waiting in position, tea steeping over his little fire. He notes Kai's change of attire with an eyebrow raise. Today, Kai responds with a confident smirk and means it. 

Wu hits the button; the course comes to life, and so does Kai.

He moves in a flash, rushing for the dummies first. He counters each of them as they were intended, then dashes off for the wheel of blades. He works _with_ their movement rather than against it, using the momentum to propel himself forward, shaving precious seconds off his previous time. It gets to the point that Wu speeds up his own tea prep a little, but while Kai sails through the morning stars he tosses his fake wooden sword at Wu's teacup, forcing him to start from scratch.

Wu's more impressed at the timing and speed of the strike than the strike itself. Not many have the instinct to make such a split-second midair adjustment.

This goes unnoticed by Kai, too busy enjoying the way the wind rushes through his hair as he glides through the obstacles that once gave him so much trouble. He now knows them like the back of his hand. As he alights on impossibly small points and weaves through the narrowest of openings, he's starting to feel like a ninja…and he's starting to _like it._

By the time Wu's finished pouring himself another cup of tea, Kai's already there, shaking the sugar bowl he'd managed to pry in the meantime.

"…was that one sugar? Or two?" Kai teases, popping one in his mouth. Wu scoffs, but barely conceals his pleased smile. Kai doesn’t even try to hide his excitement—he shoots out of his seat and spins around laughing in triumph. Accomplishment after _days_ of let down has never felt so _good_.

"So when am I going to learn that Spinjitzu I've been hearing so much about?" Kai asks, taking a few experimental swings at the air. He's not spinning in sparkles yet, but he's _so_ ready for it.

"You already have." Wu rises and makes his way back into the monastery, glancing over his shoulder. "Your final test comes tonight, and my advice, would be to get some sleep. Should things go well, we will be departing for the caves bright and early."

He vanishes beyond the doors. Kai's eyes go wide, mouth gaping.

* * *

“No one told me there was going to be a test!” Kai thinks petulantly, brushing his teeth with flourish. He peeks back into his guest room, double-checking the meager belongings he’s packed for tomorrow's impending trip. It’s mainly just his katanas, some clothes, and a few supplies, but he’s also never ventured farther than Ninjago City before, so he’s not totally sure if he should bring more. He’s seriously debating splurging for a new hoodie.

But some of his worries are stamped out by how _excited_ he is. His first ninja mission, and it’s to recover some mega-important artifact! He also loosely hangs onto the hope that Nya might be there as well, but if she’s still in the Underworld, then collecting the weapon will just bring him a little closer to following her into it.

He has to believe that.

Kai swings his brush around like a makeshift sword, swatting at the imaginary enemies he’s sure to face. He whirls around the room in a poor imitation of Wu’s Spinjitzu, but his bad form does little to dampen his spirits and keeps him swinging, even as he strikes a pose.

It’s when he throws an arm into the air and tries to hit a high note that he gets the feeling he's being silently judged.

Kai finishes off another twirl, and realizes his toothbrush is aimed dead set at another living, breathing, black-clad ninja. Said ninja has a huge scythe at the ready, and despite the mask, he looks like he's desperately trying hard not to laugh.

Two thumps come from behind Kai; two more ninja join the fray. One's got nunchucks swinging around, and one has shuriken poised to strike.

All three move as one—Kai manages to shove his toothbrush into Scythe Guy's mouth and ducks to the ground. Scythe Guy immediately gags and sputters, spitting the brush out and into Nunchucks Dude's face with an 'OOMPGH'. The toothbrush then ricochets _back_ towards the Shuriken Man, falling down the inside of his gi and making him squirm.

…it's actually quite ridiculous, and hilarious. Kai would be laughing too if he wasn’t on the verge of demise.

While the ninja are distracted, Kai shoots up into the rafters and makes a break for it—they have weapons and he no longer does. The sacrifice of his toothbrush will be remembered for as long as he lives—which may not be for much longer, with the way Shuriken Man is now swinging at him.

Kai yelps and presses himself against the wall. Shuriken Man sails across the ceiling, miscalculating his distance and plummeting straight back to the floor. The other two briefly shake their heads in disappointment before making after Kai, and Kai—

Well, the one with the scythe punts him straight through the roof, and now he's staring at the night sky.

When gravity drags him back to the ground, Kai rolls ungracefully into the switch for the training course. The ninja all file outside, searching every which way and out for blood. Kai jumps back to his feet and slams the button; every cog in the machine groans into action. And now, Kai feels a little more in his element.

The centerpiece begins swinging, knocking over Nunchucks Dude and Shuriken Man. Scythe Guy is a little smarter and manages to duck, yet leaves himself wide open for Kai to sail a punching bag straight into him. All their weapons clatter to the ground. The four find themselves on the same playing field for the first time.

Kai strikes first with a punch and a kick; two of them go sliding along the ground. Nunchucks Dude gets back up quick, jumping towards Kai with Shuriken Man, both landing strikes against his torso. It's at this point that Kai starts to lose track of who is who because they're all in black and moving _way_ too fast—

And, well, the whole thing just kind of dissolves into him slapping at one and rolling around with them. The remaining two decide it's just a good idea to dogpile on top of Kai and leaving their brethren sandwiched against the ground, and everything's just a fine awkward mess at this point.

"That's _enough!"_

Wu's voice suddenly booms from the doorway of the entrance, and Kai's never been more relieved to hear it. However, he's a bit caught off guard when the ninja trio snap to attention like soldiers and reply, "Yes, Sensei."

"…wait a minute." Kai lurches forward. "They're your students too?!"

Wu gives a single nod; Kai's not too sure about how he feels about that, but something else begins to click into place instead.

"…this was my final test, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was. And let me just say, you three were not as 'solid' as you bragged about previously."

Scythe Guy has the nerve to look offended.

"…regardless, all of you indeed have come far in your training, and you are ready for your next steps. Each of you are in tune with elemental properties…and it is through our next quest in which they will begin to surface. But first—NINJA…GO!"

Kai bears witness to a miracle once again—Wu spins around and becomes enveloped by a magical glowing essence. It's dazzling to watch, but not quite as shocking as suddenly having his clothes changed to pure red or his swords thrust into his possession. He drives them into the ground to steady himself, and by the time Wu finishes his whirling routine, Kai discovers the others have changed into new gi as well.

And worse, that he recognizes them.

"YOU!" he shouts accusingly, trying to point at all three of their hoodless figures at the same time. He settles for waving his arm around. "You three were ninja this whole TIME?!"

Zane coughs, Cole nods proudly, and Jay looks about ready to dissolve into the floor.

Suddenly everything shifts into perspective: the reckless abandon in which they attacked back at the Skulkin, Jay's stupidly fast reflexes, Zane's insane amount of composure, Cole's ridiculous strength, their dedicated obsession with him all week…!

"Well, yeah—but we haven't been training for THAT long, and when Nya got taken by some of Sensei's old foes, we kinda had to get him involved," says Jay, looking away. "It wasn't like we were lying on purpose."

"No, we definitely were, but for good reason," Cole intervenes. "When Sensei Wu said that he was already eyeing you to be the fourth member of the team, we were tasked with keeping an eye on you, especially since you were struggling with getting your feet off the ground at school…"

"Besides, we are a _secret_ ninja force. Should you have learned the secret and then declined to be a ninja, it would put all of us at risk," Zane adds. "It was merely an extra layer of precaution for all of our safeties."

Kai can't even look at them—these three already are what Kai's been trying to be for _days_ just to save Nya, and they could have— _should have—_ been able to save her from the get-go? But they couldn't because they didn't want to break their little secret? Or were they just undertrained, and barely even a good excuse for a ninja?

…not that Kai can really talk, but, had they only helped him because of Wu's interference? To make sure he stayed out of trouble? Or just to be _nice?_

Jeez, and here he thought Olivia would be the _only_ liar he'd have to deal with.

"…who are you guys, really?" Kai asks at last, and Wu is more than happy to give out an answer-turned-exposition, already casting his hand out in a mystifying fashion.

"Long ago, before the First Spinjitzu Master departed from this realm, he left remnants of his powers in the hands of appointed individuals to assist his sons in safeguarding the realm's balance. They eventually became known as the Elemental Alliance, and have assisted me for generations…"

The four ninja shuffle into a straight line, all curious as to where this is going.

"Twenty-one elemental powers, pulled from the essences of Creation and Destruction, manifested into twenty-one different individuals. These powers were passed down through their bloodlines…and those individuals eventually became your forefathers. And the powers they were gifted…were eventually inherited down to you."

"Wait, stop," Jay interrupts. "There's twenty-one total elements?! Isn't that overkill?!"

"And why am I still in black?!" Cole complains. "What kind of recreational element is _that_ supposed to symbolize?!"

"Perhaps Death?" suggests Zane. "You ARE wielding a scythe, after all."

"...Oh my GOODNESS—"

"There are aspects of the world as we know it that remain unseen to an untrained eye," Wu continues, ignoring all of them. "The sounds we hear, the time that passes quietly by, the forms we choose to take with others, the shadows that follow us, the gravity that keeps us chained to the ground, even our very own thoughts, and perhaps even some that have missed my own radar…but few can compare to the elements you four possess."

Cole cowers slightly, fearing whatever element he might have inherited. Zane remains calm, but extremely interested. Jay's practically bouncing off the ground with excitement, and Kai…

Well, Kai's already got a pretty good idea of what element he got saddled with.

Wu walks up to Jay first, appraising him like one would a fine treasure, then taps his staff to Jay's shoulder.

"Jay is the Blue Ninja, for he is the new Master of Lightning." Jay takes it like he's being knighted; Kai rolls his eyes. "Your element is energetic yet precise, invoking the spark to make miracles happen when we least expect them to. Yours is an element of ingenuity, reflecting a sudden burst of inspiration when we otherwise feel directionless and lost in a storm. After all, thunder cannot roar until the lightning strikes."

"...that's so _cool!"_ Jay squeals, bouncing on his heels. "I have the best element, everyone else go home—"

"Black Ninja is Cole, and the new Master of Earth!" Wu carries on before Jay can get carried away. Cole sighs in relief, head bowed as the staff rests upon him. "Inherited from your mother's family, your element is steady yet malleable, invoking the resistance needed to endure crumbling hardships, yet also the tenacity to use change as a means to overcome. Solid as rock, Earth serves as the foundation for the other elements to build themselves upon. "

"Heh, that does sound like me," Cole chuckles, though there's a note of sadness at the end of it. "…it also sounds just like my mom."

"I suppose that also explains why you were chosen as the leader—you are always doing your best to support the rest of us, being both firm yet accommodating in your decisions," Zane points out. Cole grins a bit, just as Wu taps his staff against Zane next.

"White Ninja is Zane, new Master of Ice! Inherited from your grandfather's family, your element is frigid yet pure. Ice can be cold, sharp, and off-putting when we first come into contact with it...but regardless, it invokes a sense of curiosity, _and_ a sense of clarity once we come to better understand. Ice may be ephemeral, just like life, but that is what makes it so beautiful to behold."

Zane smiles, warmed by the thought, and proceeds to bow in Wu's direction. Wu then rounds on Kai. Kai gulps, knowing it's his turn, but not knowing why it makes him nervous.

"Kai…you, Red Ninja, are the new Master of Fire." Wu sets the tip of his staff upon his shoulder. It gives Kai goosebumps. "Inherited from your father, your element is vibrant yet vigilant, and invokes the power to persist despite the circumstances. It fuels the very passion that keeps us all fighting to maintain our lives, and able to provide a beacon of warmth in otherwise dark times."

"Wouldn't the element of light do that too? "Jay whispers, with Cole failing at suppressing laughter. Wu hears them snickering and shakes his head.

"Where Light may guide us, Fire serves to warn us." Wu stares at Kai and Kai feels his entire soul being assessed. "And without it, none of us could burn as brightly as destiny intended. Fire is untouchable…and in Kai, it burns fiercely."

Kai gets the feeling he's being sent a silent message, but there's no time to unpack that with the others still tittering to themselves behind his back.

"Hmph, I don't think you could touch lightning either," huffs Jay, particularly loud. 

"You're more than welcome to give it a try," Wu offers, and just the look in Jay's eyes says that he's taking that as a challenge. Kai can't take this anymore—time to speed things along.

"All right, not that I'm not enjoying the deep poetic metaphors or dramatic reveals of the past, but how does all this help us track the Skeletons and the Crazy Commander and Lord Garmadon _and my sister?!"_

Jay claps his hands together. "Ooh that reminds me—about Nya, does she like blue?! Asking for a friend.”

"Back _off—"_

"Pay attention!" Wu demands, stomping his staff. "The Four Golden Weapons—collecting them will allow us passage into the Underworld where they are keeping your sister. However, if our enemies get them first, then they will be able to allow Garmadon to pass into our realm, and the destruction he's prepared to bring with him is something Ninjago is not equipped to face."

Jay gulps.

"But now that you, the inheritors of the Four Core Elements of Creation, have begun to awaken to your abilities, you can each wield one of the Golden Weapons and protect them. Few individuals can posses all four, but four individuals could possess one each. And when we find the weapons, we will find your sister."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kai's already grabbing his swords again and waltzing off. "Let's get a move on already."

"No, wait! He said he was going to teach us Spinjitzu, and none of us have done that yet!" Cole exclaims, grabbing Kai by the hood. Kai hisses like a scorned cat.

"Spinjitzu is inside each and every one of you," Wu says in a way that is absolutely not helpful. "But it will only be unlocked when the key is ready to be found."

"Sooooo basically we're going to live or die by the whims of a metaphorical key? Fantastic," moans Jay.

Spinjitzu or not, it doesn't matter to Kai as long as they're _finally_ moving out on this mission. And while there could be far worse people to be grouped up with, he's still convinced he'd be faster if he went solo.

* * *

Turns out the real reason Wu had been so gung-ho about stopping Kai from wandering around the monastery is because Cole, Jay, and Zane actually _live_ here. Just chilling there, this whole time, right under Kai's nose. Which really only makes Kai angrier, because if they had all just come clean about everything they wouldn’t have had to jump through so many very stupid hoops.

And while Jay in particular still looks somewhat repentant about the low-key lying fiasco, the other boys nevertheless race down the halls to their rooms to "show the new guy around". Their energy is more like they’re prepping a sleepover rather than packing for an important trip for artifact retrieval.

Kai only follows them because they’re loud and he can’t sleep like this. 

“This is my room!” Jay announces. Kai’s not _that_ impressed—it’s an exact copy of his own guest room. The differences being that Jay’s is certainly more lived in, and strange inventive bits and ends fill all the nooks and crannies…along with several dozen video games and a very lumpy stuffed animal sitting proud on the bed.

“This is mine,” Cole introduces, and it’s like Kai’s poking his head into a shadow box. Everything’s dark and black, until Cole claps his hands and suddenly _everything_ is outlined in neon. Lines of rainbow race around the edges of the room, records are stacked neatly along the walls, headphones sit prominently on shelves, and random clothes lay scattered about. Cole grins sheepishly and nudges some under the bed.

“And this is mine,” Zane declares proudly. His is the least like a guest room; it’s more of a fancy hotel suite, with how organized and coordinated the décor is. The wood aesthetic is subtle but tasteful, and there’s even some plants tucked in the corners that are very clearly cared for. Kai can't even find a speck of dust in the place.

In any case, all three rooms are full of _stuff_ and _things_ that Kai wouldn’t even _dream_ of being able to have, and it makes Kai’s guest room look like a dilapidated shack.

“Don’t worry—once we get more of the details settled, we can get some cool stuff for your room too!” Jay suggests upon returning to Kai’s barren bedscape. Zane’s already measuring out an area for a future tv while Cole has invited himself to flop on Kai’s bed.

Kai wants to remind them all that this stint is only until Nya is safe, but the day is catching up to him and he’s exhausted. Finding the energy to argue the point is impossible.

Mr. Lightning Ninja seems to have no shortage of energy, however.

“Do you know how HARD it was not accidentally running into you after coming home from school?!” Jay babbles, examining Kai's hastily packed survival bag. “But I mean, if you never noticed us, then we must be better ninja than we thought!”

“Up until we had our first legitimate task,” Zane quips, recalling his ungrateful topple from the ceiling.

“Okay, yeah, that could have gone a biiiit better—"

“But the important thing is that tomorrow is the first day where it really counts.” Cole springs into a sitting position, clenching his fist before him. “This is what we trained for, boys. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives!”

“As NINJA!” Jay bellows, cuing Wu to thump at the wall. Somehow it reaches them despite him being on the other side of the building.

Kai tries to take back his territory on the bed while Cole rattles off some more of what to expect on the trip. Jay’s still going on about how awesome everything is, and Zane’s taking some intense mental notes. And it’s then that Kai realizes that he’s _known_ these guys for days, and yet he still doesn’t know all that much _about_ them.

They've got more dirt on Kai than he’s personally comfortable with anyway.

"Soooo…” Kai begins, trying to carve his way into this animated conversation. “…where did Sensei find _you_ three anyway?"

The question sobers the room; a silence falls, but it’s not unbearable. It’s fond at best, wistful at worst. And if Wu had more or less dragged Kai out of his house, how strange of stories could these guys have?

"…let's just say that if it wasn't for Sensei Wu, I don't think we would ever be seen together," Cole says, shifting on the bed to take up much less room. Kai can finally get comfortable. 

"He officially brought us all together at the beginning of the school year. Unlike with you Kai, there wasn't any kind of immediate pressing emergency. Our training was more…preemptive, and precautionary," Zane elaborates. "And at first, it was hard to find a harmony among us, giving our wildly different interests, backgrounds, and…skill levels."

"...but that still would give you all several months worth of experience over me," Kai notes, only a little bit bitter. Cole winces and shakes his hand around.

"Well, for me and Zane, it's a taaaad bit longer...we've been with Sensei since Jay first started high school. And we actually kept an eye on him before he joined too, just like with you."

Jay jumps in next. “Yeah, and even though Sensei actually _found_ me first, Cole and Zane came to the temple before I did, so they got a bit of a head start. It...took a while to convince my folks that this was something I had to do, ehehe. Now they’re almost _too_ supportive…”

“Wouldn’t complain about that,” grumbles Cole, but he perks up when Zane puts a knowing hand on his shoulder.

Kai tilts his head in interest, as hard as he tries not to show it. "So you guys _weren't_ rounded up by Sensei all at the same time?"

Cole bellows with laughter and smacks Kai with his own pillow in the process.

"Ha! Of course not! When Sensei first found me, I was testing my limits, climbing the side of a mountain with little regard for my safety…and somehow, he was waiting for me at the top with some soul-searching questioning. Figures, right?"

" _I_ was testing my new invention!" Jay recalls, looking fond at the memory. "I had always wanted to fly, and I thought I'd finally found a way to do that…but I crashed into one of billboards of Ninjago City and Sensei found me on top of a skyscraper! …you know, I didn't think much of it at the time, but that IS kinda weird—"

"And I…was testing myself," Zane finishes. "I was trying to see how many logs of wood I could cut down for my father before sundown, but after my tenth pile, Sensei briefly interrupted me with some parting wisdom."

Kai presses his lips together. Even though he gets the feeling that these are just the abridged version of the events, they're still way more fascinating than being found stressing over bills or lecturing his sister over a dumb map.

"Where did Sensei find you?" Jay inevitably asks. Cole and Zane lean in, curious as well.

"…he found me testing my patience," Kai huffs. “It was a few days after Nya showed me the map, and I was trying to talk her into joining the robotics club…”

“Which she did, and then for a few hours, all was right with the world,” sighs Jay. Cole nudges him in the shoulder.

“I wouldn’t go _that_ far, but it does feel like a few strings of fate were being tugged that day.” Cole then shrugs. “Not that I’m complaining—we all got to meet one another, so that’s a win!”

"Yes! And now, from this moment onward, we move forward as one!" Zane declares, and now it's his turn to be nudged by Cole.

"You just stole what I said before!"

"That is incorrect. I merely improved your intended message with my own words."

Apparently those are fighting words, because Cole—finally—springs off Kai's bed and tackles Zane to the floor, Jay yelping and barely rolling out of the way of the collision. Even when Jay tries to break it up, he gets sucked into the shenanigans, and Kai just _really_ wants to go to sleep.

…he can't bring himself to yell at them, though. Not this time. After a weird week of weird stuff, and probably worse stuff ahead for the weekend, what's one little moment of respite?

And besides—there are worse sounds to fall asleep to than laughter.


	8. No 'Kai' In Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team's dynamic is finally tested in the Caves of Despair...

The sunrise of the morning stretches out across the wide expanse of the golden sky, reaching the peaks of the mountains of the west. Within their range rests a single hollow mountain, where natural tunnels were carved by the natural wear and tear of the earth and spiral ever-inwards like veins. The few who drift by these Caves of Despair claim they hear the sound of an enraged beast echo from the walls within, but those who have dared venture inward to find out have never returned to tell the tale.

…and so, the ninja have made it their quest to go right in there on this fine Friday morning and pray that this time things might be different.

"I signed up to be a ninja, not a pack mule…" Jay complains as the four ninja pull a cart carrying Wu within. They run towards the mountain from where it connects to Wildwood Forest at its base, hurrying their way down a worn-path between the sky-reaching pine trees. They might not have a ton of horsepower, but they make up for it in enthusiasm.

It’s not the most efficient form of travel, but definitely among the more bizarre.

"I sense that this is some sort of strange training exercise," says Zane.

"Just keep pulling, we have a long way to go," says Cole.

Kai pointedly refrains from saying anything. He’s sandwiched between all three of them simultaneously, cornered like prey.

…okay, he should probably be a little less on guard, given that they really haven’t done anything to him—other than _lie—_ and they _are_ trying to help him on the mission. But they keep talking about this ‘being the first step’ with subtle implications for the future sprinkled in, and as much as Kai likes being a ninja, he’s not sure if it’s going to be a practical thing to pursue. Attachment…will only prove to be detrimental.

He sets that thought aside when the forest around them begins to fade away, hard rock rising to take the place of the trees. The cool shade of the forest gives way to the harsh sunlight baking the bedrock, and that’s when they know they have arrived.

“Behold, the Caves of Despair!" Wu declares, perfectly raring to go since he hasn't had to use his legs all day. He does finally hop out of the carriage though, stealthy leading the charge the rest of the way up. The ninja line up silently behind him, letting their master take the lead up this mountain without a peak.

Upon approaching the top, whirling mechanical sounds fill the air, along with other angry skeleton sounds. They all poke their heads over an outcropping of rock…only to lay eyes upon an entire excavation site. Shark Army-designed drills and power shovels tear at the earth, all while members of the Skeleton Army pilot the machines. It doesn't surprise Kai and Cole as much, but the sheer amount of progress made in a single night is…alarming.

"Samukai must be close to unearthing the Scythe of Quakes—his forces have already infested this area completely, but there's still time to beat them to the chamber,” says Wu. "And remember, once you obtain the weapon, do _not_ use it, for its power—"

"Yeah yeah, it's too much for us mortals to handle," huffs Jay.

"I thought that was only for wielding all four—surely handling _one_ wouldn't be so devastating?" Zane inquires.

"Holding it is not the problem. But using its power when you haven’t learned to control it is where the danger lies. One day that power may be yours to master, but for now—"

"Let's just blow this lemonade stand already!" Jay whoops. "Cole, hit us with the plan!"

"Right!" exclaims Cole, rubbing his hands together. "First, we lower ourselves down the ledge, do recon for the route with the least eyes on it, maybe snag the map if we can, and then...wait where the heck is Kai?"

Jay and Zane trade a look before peering back over the ledge again. Sure enough, a small speck of red goes booking it across the clearing as the world's most obvious ninja. At least he has the sense to use a rock for cover.

"…and there he goes," sighs Jay.

Wu kneels his head in silent prayer, begging his father for some strength.

"…whatever, let's just catch up to him before he does something _completely_ stupid," grumbles Cole, he and the others following his plan to slide down. They dash past one of the guard posts and hide under a crate, doing their best to follow Kai's hastily made trail. Some of the guards spot Kai’s rather obvious movements, as he does indeed do a series of stupid things, but the trio takes care of those problems immediately and violently. By the time they do catch up to Kai, he's making a mad dash up one of the Watchtowers.

Jay smacks Kai upside the head.

"What's the _matter_ with you?!" he whisper-shouts.

"Do you know how many times we had to cover your a—" Cole starts, but Kai clamps a hand over his mouth.

"Look, they have the map! They're reading it upside down!"

Sure enough, the piece of paper Nya once held so dear is currently in the hands of Samukai himself, who confidently reads north as south amongst other things. Upon hearing some commotion down below, the skeleton places the map on the table and heads out to meet the call.

"…they're totally digging in the wrong spot!" realizes Jay. Zane nods, quickly tying a rope to his shuriken and tossing it down. It hits the map dead on, and Zane yanks it back up before the skeletons even notice its absence. Kai gives it a quick scan before deducing the correct spot, then backflips off the roof.

"There's no time to waste."

The others just stare after him.

"…what is it _with_ that guy?! Always in a rush!" Jay complains. “And always trying to do everything by himself, and hating asking for help—"

"I don't think he's really had much opportunity to work with others in his life," Zane says. "This is probably the first time he's had to cooperate with a team."

"Well all that reckless behavior is going to come back to bite the rest of us—we've got to nip it in the bud, and fast," Cole finishes. He hops off the tower too and leads the charge after Kai. It's not hard to find him—his heavy footsteps leave prints in the sand, and he's not making a secret of trying to shove a rock out from the front of the legitimate cave entrance, which by some miracle the Skulkin haven't noticed. Despite the luck, the boulder has barely budged.

"Hey, Hotshot, before you race off again, you need to remember we're a team," Cole announces, making his way over with the others. Kai stares at them, expression indecipherable behind the mask.

"…yeah, whatever." Kai shrugs it off and keeps pushing, only to be amazed as how easily the rock moves with the others' help. Cole gives him a knowing look; Kai pretends he didn't even see it and makes his way in.

The Caves proper are, as one could expect, rather dark. Echoing sounds of dripping water serve as their one warning from the abyss. A few pinpricks of light do come from small torches dotting the walls, but it's not nearly enough to guide any wayward travelers towards ancient treasure. Making out the floor ahead of them is hard enough.

One thing that is easy to see, however, is that there are several paths ahead of them. And none of them are that great with directions.

...least of all Kai, who simply picks the first one he sees and starts marching onward.

"Slow your ninja roll—" Cole grabs Kai by the hood and tugs him back once again. "If we do this carelessly, we’re just going to get lost, and that'll put us behind schedule, and I _know_ you don't want that."

Kai grunts.

"Why didn't Wu come with us?! HE'S the one that hid the thing!" whines Jay.

"Perhaps this is also doubling as a learning experience," Zane suggests. "…although I do agree it is poor timing for something of the sort."

"Everyone just relax!" Cole commands. He lets go of Kai once he deems he won't run off, then paces to the middle of the room. "Does the map say anything about the right path?"

Jay pulls it out again and squints carefully. "…no, it just marks the location, not what to do once you get there! You got anything, Zane?!"

"Not particularly—these tombs haven't been properly accessed in at least several decades, so any potential clues could be chalked up to the natural erosion of time," Zane hums.

The next few minutes are spent with Cole pacing, Jay panicking, and Zane examining under every rock. Kai still thinks trying their luck with any of these paths is their best bet. _Anything_ has to be better than just standing here.

However, Jay's mention of Wu gets Kai thinking. He'd spoken a bit about the caves yesterday, didn't he? And while it hadn't been anything noteworthy, maybe Wu had mentioned it for a reason.

"…hey, I might have an idea," Kai speaks up. The others cease their activity; Kai slightly flinches at having all the attention. "Well, I mean, I don't know how much help it'll be, but…"

"Any suggestion is welcome," says Zane. Kai smiles a bit before rubbing his neck.

"Well, yesterday Sensei mentioned that the Scythe of Quakes has the ability to 'neutralize the seismic activity in the mountain'…and I just thought that there might be a way to find it based on that."

Cole and Zane give Kai the blankest looks; Kai almost regrets saying anything, but then there's suddenly stars in Jay's eyes.

"…that makes SENSE!"

"Oh, cool—fill the rest of us in," scoffs Cole. Jay beams, scooping a small rock up from the ground. He makes an experimental mark on the wall, grinning wider when it makes a legible line. Now with writing implement in hand, Jay whirls on his team.

"Okay okay, soooo I'm assuming Sensei chose this place to hide the Scythe because it's super in-tune with Earth, right? And it makes sense that there'd be a lot of seismic activity here—it would explain why there's so many natural tunnels, along with why the mountain's peak caved in."

"All right, that just sounds like fun facts," quips Kai. Jay shoots him a look before scribbling a crude drawing of the mountain onto the wall. He draws some vague-looking waves coming out of a random point in the ground and gestures wildly at it.

"ANYWAY, when seismic activity occurs, there's always a focus and an epicenter. The focus is the origin point below ground, and the epicenter is its corresponding point above ground. And the energy generally goes outward during an earthquake, for example. So if the Scythe is able to neutralize this energy, then it would _stop_ that energy from going outwards."

Jay draws a new set of scribblings, this time demonstrating the act of "cancelling out the energy". Kai's not following at all, especially not with Jay's handwriting, but Zane's eyes almost literally light up.

"I see! You're implying that the Scythe's location would act as a reverse epicenter!" Zane exclaims, snapping his fingers. "Instead of the energy going out, it would be flowing inwards—"

"And if we find a way to track and follow it, it'll lead us right to the scythe!" Jay yells, swooping in for a high five with Zane. Zane delays in the notion's return, almost leaving Jay hanging, but is overjoyed nonetheless.

"You're a _genius,_ Jay!"

Jay dusts off his hands. "Why thank you, I pride myself on it!"

"Hey, I thought of following the…wave things…first. Kind of," Kai butts in. It's a lost cause, he knows. "…but anyway, that's info's useless unless we have like, a wave detecting device…"

Jay and Zane deflate a bit, although Kai suspects they're also silently coming up with a way to superbuild some kind of a Richter scale out of rocks. He then turns around to see Cole, who'd been weirdly silent for a while, kneeling on the ground. Confused, Kai heads over. This is new behavior from Cole.

"You good, Cole?"

"Shhhhh…" Cole whispers, putting his ear to the ground. "I'mma try something…"

Kai stares blankly at him; he's even more lost on this than Jay's sudden science lesson. Cole rises again, makes a face at the uncooperative ground, then closes his eyes. His hands rest flat against the ground. For a moment, Kai swears he sees or feels or _experiences_ some kind of pulse, just before Cole's eyes shoot open.

He stumbles back to his feet, strangely startled.

Guys," Cole announces, pulling Jay and Zane out of their nerd brainstorming session. "…I think I know which way to go."

"No you _don't!"_ Jay squawks in disbelief, but Cole puts his hand to the wall this time, and once again Kai _experiences_ the pulse. Zane must sense it too this time, for he starts blinking rapidly.

"…we go down the third tunnel first," Cole declares. "It's…it's faint, but I can _feel_ the pull in the earth. Jay's theory was right—it's not a natural flow of energy, but it's still…guiding me somewhere."

"You can tell _all_ that just by feeling up a rock?" Kai asks.

"Well I _am_ the Master of Earth—might as well start acting like it." Cole, keeping his hand on the wall, leads the team onward. "Besides, I'm pretty attuned to sounds and movements anyway thanks to my theatrical upbringing and love for music."

Kai's not buying it. "Music beats and rhythm is one thing, but vibrations in the ground?!"

Cole pointedly ignores him, trusting in his budding powers instead of Kai's skepticism. Kai can't complain too much—he IS the one that started this ridiculous train, and settles for following Cole's lead.

"Science saves the day!" yells Jay, his voice echoing through the tunnels as he hurries after them. "…along with a little magic-powered rock whispering!"

"It's not magic, exactly—" Zane starts to argue, but no one's listening, too focused on Cole sensing out the path.

The way Cole takes them starts out simple enough. Abandoned mine settlements, scattered torches and lanterns, and some tunnels caved in by time. But the deeper they go, the more traps they find—discovered the hard way when Zane narrowly misses being impaled by spikes.

"Ooh, shiny death traps! Definitely going the right way then!" Jay exclaims. Kai can't tell if that was optimism or sarcasm, but it worries him nonetheless.

Spikes turn out to be the least of their problems—leaky purple goo seeps in from some of the walls and floods over the path. Cole easily parkours his way up and over it all via the wall, while Zane finds some feeble footing scattered around in the muck. Jay and Kai try to do it Zane's way and nearly knock each other over.

"What even IS this stuff?!" Kai grumbles as Jay pulls him to safety. "It looks like melted rock, but the color's all weird…"

"Yeah…didn't learn about that one in geology," says Jay.

"Maybe it's the source of despair the caves are named for?" Zane replies. "The sight of it alone is certainly distressing."

Kai rolls his eyes. "You've…always got a suggestion for everything, huh?"

"There's a reason for everything, whether or not I know it for sure," Zane insists, and, not wanting to get into a philosophical debate, Kai leaves it be. He's more than ready to cut the small talk and just keep going, but…they seem to have hit a dead end.

His annoyance at Zane turns into rage at Cole for potentially getting then lost, but Cole just steps back and gestures at the sky.

"…we're going to have to go up, boys," he says. "I know Jay and Zane will probably be fine climbing, but you haven't really worked on that yet, have you Kai?"

Kai scoffs, offended. "I can climb a wall-!"

"I'm not saying you _can't_ , I'm just saying that if Sensei hasn't trained you in those skills yet, it might not be that easy, and I can…give you a boost," Cole continues, avoiding saying the 'h' word. Kai still gives him a suspicious glare.

Kai stays rooted on the ground as Jay starts bouncing from wall to wall, making his way up remarkably quick. Zane chooses to climb up a less risky way, finding footholds in the wall to use, and pulls himself up carefully. Kai expects Cole to shoot up there like a rocket—the man has climbed mountains, walls aren’t going to be much of a trial—but he waits for Kai’s decision.

“…whatever goes faster,” Kai finally huffs, accepting his fate to the wall. Cole nods, then climbs a small way up, high enough to assist if need be. Kai pouts, but does try it Zane’s way and attempts to tug his body upwards.

It’s decidedly not easy at all.

“Try to keep your weight as distributed as possible,” Cole calls from above. “You’re really going feel it when you pull up, so try to save putting all your weight in one area for when you really need it.”

That doesn’t entirely make sense to Kai, but he does start to feel the burn in his arms—he’s not even halfway up yet! Kai’s teeth grind in frustration. He’s better than this, he knows he is, he _has_ to be—!

Cole’s hand lowers into view, a silent invitation for Kai to grab it.

Kai stares at it—Cole rolls his eyes—but he sighs and grasps it against his better judgment. He feels Cole’s grip tighten drastically.

“Are you ready for this?”

“I guess—YAAAAAAAAAH!!”

With one arm and while clinging to a wall, Cole manages to not just swing Kai upwards, but throw him all the way to the top. Kai spends a few moments screaming in zero gravity before starting to make a plummet.

Zane thankfully materializes beneath him for the catch.

“Nice of you to drop in,” he says with a smile. Kai groans.

“Don’t you mean ICE of you to drop in?” heckles Jay. Kai groans again—that’s even worse.

Cole finally makes it up the rest of the way, sweaty and panting which is the opposite of how he’d been before. He flops on the ground, seemingly just lying there, but Kai catches the way he’s hiding rubbing his arm.

“…Cole?” Kai asks, but Cole just shoots out his other hand.

“I’m good, don’t worry about it. Just gotta catch my breath for a sec.”

Cole rolls back into a sitting position, leaning against the wall. Jay sees the opportunity for a break and plops down beside him. Zane, all business, asks how much further.

“…it’s still a bit of ways, but we’re definitely getting closer. The energy’s getting more potent.” Cole rests his hand on the floor and concentrates. “…just think, this is just one _tiny_ part of these mines!”

“Yeaaaaah I don’t _want_ to think about that,” shudders Jay.

“We should probably get going again,” suggests Zane. “More time spent here is less time spent elsewhere.”

“Yeah yeah…help me up, will ya?” Cole asks. Zane shakes his head fondly but does help tug Cole back to his feet. Cole grins, perhaps a little too wildly, then shifts back into leader mode and takes charge into the dark depths. Zane sticks close by him, while also keeping one hand on Jay. Jay then turns around and holds out his hand, an invite for Kai not to get lost.

Kai takes the hand, this time not thinking twice about it.

* * *

The chamber of the scythe is nothing special—with torches lining the walls, it sits in the center of the room all sparkly and golden and wrapped in a giant stone fist. Kai's a little wary about that, but everyone else is too overjoyed about actually making it through the mess of a maze. Cole jumps up to pull the scythe from its place, surprisingly having an easy time doing so.

"Wow, I at least thought I'd have to put my back into it—it slid right out!" Cole remarks. He kneels down to wrap it in the special tarp they brought.

"Guess Sensei Wu was too in a rush to make sure it was secure or something," shrugs Jay.

"In any case, let's just get this back while those boneheads are still busy." Cole stands back up and tosses the scythe at Kai to carry, having his hands full with the one he brought with him and trying to guide them out the way they came. After that tricky but not unbearable ordeal, Kai feels…a little underwhelmed.

That, or everything seems a touch too easy.

"…wait," Kai says, breaking the collective silence. "This thing has been pulling in seismic energy for like, ages…and we just pulled it out like it was no big deal."

"So?" asks Cole, but suddenly Jay goes white as a sheet.

"Oh no," he winces, just as Zane says, "I recommend we move with haste."

Cole's about to make the mistake of asking why. He's interrupted by one _giant_ shift in the ground, and he gets the picture.

"…let's make a move, boys! Go, go, go!"

Cole practically sprints out of the room, hardly needing to feel the wall to know which way the energy's headed. Jay and Zane are hot on his heels, and Kai…just wishes he trained on the treadmill a little more.

But he refuses to show weakness now. He leaps off the ledge with the rest of them and rolls on his landing, not losing any of his momentum. The ooze stream seems to have widened with the recent activity, making traversing even more difficult. Jay bounces his way across while Zane maintains his more methodical approach. Kai tries to follow, but he mistimes his jump and tumbles down—

"Gotcha!" Cole calls, barely catching Kai by the gi. With a grunt, and impressive strength, Cole manages to toss Kai forward to safety before following along himself. Kai's still pulling himself together after his brief flight, but that doesn't stop Cole from tugging him along behind.

Kai doesn't complain, as long as it keeps him alive.

Eventually they manage to catch up with and then overtake Jay and Zane, Cole letting Kai go to kick some falling rocks out of the way. The rubble gives way to the entrance into the tunnels, and they all sigh in relief.

"All right everyone, stay together! The way out is right around the corner—"

Cole then almost completely stumbles into Samukai, who stands waiting with basically the entire mining camp backing him. Samukai draws all four of his bone knives, staring at Kai with intent to kill for the scythe. The ninja draw their weapons, but the more Kai stares at the Scythe, the more tempted he is to wield it.

"Next time you want to get the jump on us, make sure your voice isn't echoing throughout every single cavern," Samukai taunts. "Science saves the day, indeed."

Jay very belatedly clamps a hand over his mouth.

The ninja jump into action; they rush the skeletons as one, staying in a line as best they can while plowing a beeline for the exit. Bones and baddies alike go flying in the aftermath, but despite their ability to pick them off one by one, the ninja once again remain out-numbered.

Zane separates from the group, slipping between two bone swords and running to a clearing. He gets an idea—if they spread out a bit, it would divide the enemy's attention, and perhaps get the weapon to safety a little faster.

"Kai!" he calls, hands raised into the air. "Over here!"

The look Kai shoots him is something less than pleasant, but nonetheless Kai lets the Scythe of Quakes go sailing through the air towards Zane. A few Skulkin try grabbing it; Zane snatches it out of the air with finesse. Cole immediately catches onto Zane's plan and calls for the Scythe next. Zane tosses it just as he gets dogpiled; Cole catches it, but finds himself with nowhere to go.

"There's too many of them!" grunts Kai, pushing one back with his katanas. Jay pops out of the fray with a wink, whacking a skull with his nunchucks and spinning on forward.

"Let me handle this!"

Kai opens his mouth to protest, but Jay must be in the zone or something, because he looks like a machine out there. Ignoring the over-the-top sound effects he makes, every one of his attacks is precisely timed to strike, not a single skeleton getting close to him. He moves just like—and almost literally like—lightning, and before anyone can process it Jay vanishes into a blur of his own movements.

"Hey, guys! It's just like the training course! Over the planks…dodge the swords…and here comes the dummy!"

Jay lets out a whoop as he falls into a spiral, everyone watching wide-eyed as he bursts into blue. Electrical sparks fly in the wake of his movements, the air itself charged up. Skulkin practically fall to pieces as Jay rips right into them at a speed none of them can follow.

"CHA-CHIIIIIING!"

"Whoa, Spinjitzu," whispers Kai, just as Zane gawks from under his pile and Cole briefly forgets to focus everything on the scythe. "J-Jay, how are you doing that?! What's the key?!"

"I'm just going through the motions!" Jay hollers from his little tornado of shocking desolation. "This must've been what Sensei meant when he said we already know it!"

Kai pauses at that—though time and time again he'd failed the training course, he slowly came to master it by memorizing its individual parts. The skeletons and their weapons were each separate obstacles, each moving in the way that Sensei knew to prepare them for. Kai remembers how many times he'd miscalculate a move, either diving forwards too quickly or wasting a moment in hesitation.

But he also remembers the single time he did it _right—_ and if he did it once, he can do it again.

And suddenly he's moving like he's _free_ , despite being encapsulated by fire and a sudden hundred degrees. He wonders what he looks like to the world as he shreds through his enemies like wildfire. It feels good to be this powerful. It feels good to be so completely surrounded by his element.

By the time he finally lets go, Kai stops spinning long enough to witness Zane and Cole on the uptake too. Zane chases away a pack of them by himself, the ends of his fingertips dipped in frost as he brakes with his shuriken in hand.

"I sense you did not stand a chance."

The turning tides of battle don't go unnoticed by Samukai, who—upon being disarmed by Cole—calls for a tactical retreat. Any Skulkin left standing go barreling for the exit. The Ninja, high on adrenaline and excitement, just laugh in their wake and pump their fists in the air.

"That was so COOOOOL!" wails Jay, not learning his lesson of using an indoor voice.

"I definitely was!" Zane agrees, making Jay snort with laughter. "That feeling was exhilarating!"

"No kidding—no wonder those skeletons decided they didn't stand a chance!" Kai stares at his hands, still feeling the flicks of flames that once coated them.

"Guess they didn't want a second serving of these babies!" Cole cackles, kissing his biceps with pride. Jay and Kai share a look as they shake their heads, but smiling nonetheless. "Good thing they didn't check out the merchandise in the back!"

Kai ignores Cole, too hyped on their victory. He shares a high five and cheer with Jay, the two of them dancing around. A sense of accomplishment overcomes him, but it doesn't last long as he sees Cole taking several big steps back out of the corner of his eye. And for some reason, he looks painfully terrified.

"Oh, lemme guess—there's a dragon guardian creeping up behind us and that's why you look like you peed your pants."

"That's not what—wait, shut up!"

Kai laughs and turns around himself, only to feel the color drain from his own face.

"Oooooooh, um, guuuuuys…?"

Jay and Zane barely have time to react before the walls of the cave start rumbling once again. An empowered roar quakes the ground with its might, and two gigantic fists pound against the ceiling and nearly make it crack. Kai's knees shake and Jay's clutching Cole for emotional support.

"If my calculations are correct—and which they unfortunately are," Zane coughs. "I believe we are face to face with a—"

"GIANT GORILLAAAAAA!!!" wails Jay, and that alone sets the beast off.

The gorilla bares two rows of teeth, each individual tooth the size of a stalagmite (or a stalactite). Cracks run down from its hollowed eyes into its rock-hard cheeks. The coarse fur covering its body matches the color of the earth, but the roar it lets out has the force of a landslide.

Something the ninja would experience first hand, if they all hadn’t tumbled out of the way.

"I sense we won't be able to spin our way out of this one," Zane gulps. Even the shuriken in his hands feel inadequate.

"I sense we're in a world of pain if we don't move—let's get out of here!" Cole demands, and the group files after him. They make way for the exit the Skulkin took, but the gorilla slams its fist against the wall and sends a good chunk of ceiling down in front of exit. The ninja brake to a stop, now trapped in the room with a gigantic beast.

Kai presses his back against the wall—their odds are limited here, even with their newly learned Spinjitzu. Jay's started feebly throwing rocks at the thing, which really is only making it madder, and any punches Cole throws are going unfelt. Really, for a thing that size…it would take something with equal power to tame.

He then remembers the Scythe of Quakes, sitting strapped on Cole's back just ready for the using.

"…There's only one way we can even the odds here!"

Kai jumps next to Cole and tugs the Scythe of Quakes out of his possession.

"What the—hey!"

"No, no, bad idea Kai!" Jay tries to hold Kai back with a hand on his shoulder. "Sensei told us not to!"

"Then you _better_ keep your mouth shut."

Jay whimpers, pulling away as if he'd been burned. Kai marches forward heedless of the danger, feeling the power of Earth thrumming through the weapon. It's strong, that's for sure. It also makes him feel secure, and solid, and strangely patient…as if waiting to strike is the better option than an all-out assault.

But those are many of the things that Fire is not.

"Kai, you don't even know what you're doing—!" Zane yells.

It's too late—Kai swings the scythe over his head in an unbalanced fashion before thrusting it awkwardly into the ground. Needless to say, it doesn't work in the way Kai intended, for Earth wasn't meant to be spontaneous and powerful in a single burst. The only exception to that rule would be an—

"EARTHQUAAAAAKE!" screams Jay, falling over as the caves start crumbling down. Stalactites sail down from above, some managing to strike the gorilla in the shoulder. It stumbles backwards, clearly injured to some capacity, but it doesn't stop fighting.

It sets its sights on Kai and the scythe, releasing another roar before charging full-stop at him. Kai has the choice of fight or flight but he freezes, watching as imminent doom hurdles towards him with frightening speed.

"NO— _DON'T_!"

Kai's not exactly prepared to become a pancake, but it's what he'd been expecting to happen until Cole leapt in front of him, holding his hands up as if he had the strength to stop the gorilla's fist all on its own. But to their surprise, the fist stops its descent just above Cole's head, and Kai can see Cole shaking, even from Kai's spot on the ground from when his legs gave out in terror.

"We're sorry, okay? We trespassed on your home, we took the weapon you were guarding, and we hurt you, but this is just one big misunderstanding…!"

The gorilla takes in Cole's words, still poised for a fight, but he lowers his fist. He studies Cole, quiet and contemplative. Cole’s three shakes from joining Kai on the ground.

He nearly jumps out of his skin when the beast’s fist uncurls in order to present his open palm to Cole.

It’s a confusing moment for all involved, Cole especially. He glances at the hand, then back at the gorilla…then steps forward into its waiting hand.

“Cole NO! It’s a trap, he’ll crush you like a coffee bean!” Jay wails.

Zane grabs Jay’s shoulder and shakes him lightly. “Wait, look!”

Kai can only watch as Cole rises higher and higher, at least three stories off the ground, but he still stands firm. Cole’s sharp gaze meets with the gorilla’s. And then, the tremors wrecking the room calm to a standstill.

The gorilla’s head bows downward. Cole, not sure of what else to do, gently puts his hand against the beast's forehead.

“…what’s going on?” Kai asks, deciding to stand back up before anyone asks any questions.

“It…looks like they are bonding,” Zane observes.

"Bonding how?" questions Jay. "They reading each other's mind or something?"

"Well, they both wield the element of Earth—perhaps there's a connection there?"

Cole can't explain it either—but, just standing in the presence of this gorilla… he's overcome by a sense of empathy.

"You're only here to protect," Cole says, the words pouring out from somewhere deep inside him. "You were never going to attack us—you merely waited to see what we do once we had the Scythe. That's why…you let me take it so easily, and why you waited until we starting fighting with the Skeletons to make your move. And then…when the Scythe was used…"

The gorilla glances down at its wounded arm and growls deeply; Kai winces.

Cole hums, smiling sadly.

"I understand, you know. Sometimes doing what we can to protect what we care about results in us getting hurt. There's always going to be a risk of sacrifice…sometimes there's going to be misunderstandings…but as long as the foundation is there, we can find common ground to stand on every time."

Cole leans forward, pressing his forehead against the gorilla's.

"You're solid. We're solid."

The cave stills with anticipation. All fury seems to melt away from the beast as he returns Cole's gesture. He then rises back up, clearing the way out of the caves with one punch, then gently setting Cole down with the other. Cole beams and waves up at him; the gorilla gives him a nod of respect. He does still toss Kai a rather disapproving look over his shoulder, but nonetheless crawls back into the depths of the caves, allowing the ninja their freedom and to walk away with the Scythe of Quakes.

“Well that was fun!” Jay punctuates with a handclap. “Now let’s leave, please?”

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” says Kai, making a break for the exit. He leaps onto a rock, then shoots himself upward with his newly acquired Spinjitzu.

The other three exchange less than impressed looks with one another before following Kai's lead and spinning their way up and out of there, knowing that either pride or disappointment awaits them.

* * *

"I _thought_ I told you _not_ to use the Scythe!" Wu greets them with disappointment, gesturing to the now jacked up mountain and devastated excavation site around them. "This is clearly the result of someone inexperienced and out of tune with the Earth…!"

"He did it!" Jay immediately throws Kai under the bus, with Cole and Zane in the back pointing shamelessly. Kai's face goes red.

"Hey, don't call me out! I didn't see anyone else coming up with ways to tame that beast!"

“Yeah, and way to tell us that there was a _giant angry beast_ lying in wait for us!” Jay yelps at Wu. Wu stares back, unamused.

“I had tried to, but _someone_ was more interested in ‘blowing lemonade stands’ at the time.”

Now it’s Jay’s turn to flush. Kai’s glad he’s not the one getting the talk for patience this time, but he knows he in for something far worse.

"That 'beast' was Ruamoko, a protector of the Earth from another realm. I had placed him there to protect the weapon from the wrong hands…but it seems he recognized Cole's potential as the Master of Earth, and allowed you safe passage."

Cole softens a bit, especially when Wu gives him a warm smile.

There's only cold disapproval for Kai, however.

"But with the wily-nilly way _you_ swung the weapon around, you could have easily caused a cave-in and gotten all of you killed."

"…uoweugh," moans Jay, suddenly clutching his stomach.

"What else were we suppose to do, just let that thing clobber us?" Kai tries to say in his defense.

"What you do mean 'we'?" Zane interrupts.

"Ugh fine, it was _my_ only option—"

"And what makes you think you're more important that the team, hm?! Huh?! If you had been more patient and willing to read the situation, you would have seen that Ruamoko wasn't going to hurt you—it was only after you attacked that it felt threatened."

"I can’t let anything stand in my way, no matter what! They took my sister, remember?" Kai grits through his teeth.

"And our enemies can take much more than that, if this tomfoolery of yours continues," Wu scoffs. "There are still three weapons left. Maybe next time you can do it right."

With that, Wu makes his way back to the carriage, an unsettling silence washing over the group. Zane doesn’t look back as he trots after Wu; Cole and Jay send Kai withering looks, but they too quietly trudge after Wu, no further comments made.

Kai wants to be mad that they ratted him out, but deep down he knows it’s his own fault. He used the weapon. He made the mess.

And that’s just one more reason why he knows he’s not going to be a lasting fit for this so-called ‘team’.

* * *

The Shark Army and Skeleton Army fill the throne room of the Dark Fortress, separated by a single aisle yet none of them make a single sound. Every person in their room holds their breath, watching as General Omar and Master Samukai step up to the front. General #2 takes her spot as well, significantly less nervous, but concerned just the same.

Omar and Samukai step up to the altar in the middle of the room. The twin torches on either side spontaneously spark to life in their presence, and both of them take a knee.

"Our Lord," they begin, regret and fear coating each word as they grovel before the shadows. The tension is the room is suffocating.

"Our operation at the Caves of Despair has gone…awry, due to unforeseen circumstances," Omar explains, eyes closed the entire time.

"We have failed, Master," continues Samukai. "The ninja—they've learned Spinjitzu, they have the scythe, and they've taken back the map…!"

"We are no longer in an advantageous position," Omar finishes. The Shark Army collectively gulps.

"... _good_."

The single word reverberates against the walls, throughout the darkness, and seizes all hearts in the room with its chill. The deep voice comes from nowhere and everywhere all at once; an all-encompassing sound that has ensnared everyone within earshot. Weaker-willed members of the armies crumble from the induced anxiety.

"…if they have learned Spinjitzu, then my brother was there…he has chosen to guide these ninja, putting him into a position of…vulnerability…"

"What shall our response to this development be, my Lord?" Omar asks, head raised. Samukai throws his fists into the air.

"If I gather my army, we can easily ambush them—"

"Or we could just use mine to launch a much more effective counterstrike—"

"NO!" the voice commands, both generals shutting up on the spot. "…let them think they're winning. Let them do all the hard work for us."

Omar and Samukai trade a rare look of confusion with one another. And it only get worse when the King of Shadows before them breaks down into delighted maniacal laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *There's a small list of reasons why I took out the dragons, but I just really wanted the Ninja's animal symbols to have a little more meaning than we actually ever got (and I can't be the only one, riiiiiiight?)


	9. There's No Business Like Snow Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team quests through the Frozen Wastelands with...varying degrees of success.

Drifting through the frozen fjords of the north on a boat lent by a friend of a friend of Sensei Wu's, Saturday morning for the ninja begins brisk and bitter. The cold does its best to bite, but the restless ninja do their best to fend off the frost in the most mentally stimulating of ways.

"I spy something…white."

"Jay, I swear, if it’s the snowy cliffs, AGAIN…!" Cole exasperates, turning away from steering the ship. Jay, currently sitting on the floor trying to finish his homework, only shrugs sheepishly. "Would it kill you to be a little more quiet anyway? Navigating all these drifting chunks of ice ain't easy."

"Then why isn't Zane steering?" Jay asks, not looking up. Cole sighs and points up towards the deck. Jay eventually follows his gaze, and groans upon seeing Zane totally lost in meditation. But then again, perhaps only the Master of Ice could see a cold tundra as an opportune spot for mental relaxation.

However, even Zane's total focus is broken when the ship scrapes against a cliff wall. Cole hastily tries to regain control of the ship; Jay just looks over the side and, after seeing a giant gouge in the hull, is thankful this ship is a rental.

"I spy something…broken."

Cole doesn't even dignify that with a verbal response, now angrily focused on getting through in one piece.

Kai, meanwhile, stays away from all their shenanigans, watching them from the far side of the ship. For having "the fire" within him, he sure is shivering a lot.

And personally, he thinks that Wu should be the one steering the ship. The old man is the one that put the blasted weapon out this far into the world, and he'd actually know where he was going, and wouldn't drift aimlessly for miles, and probably wouldn't keep on hitting chunks of ice—!

"COLE!"

"Shut _up_ , Jay!"

Kai knocks his head against the railing. Only three more weapons, only three more weapons…

During his mental pep talk, Zane decides to hobble over and plop down next to him. There's another attempt on Zane's part to achieve full mental concentration. Cole and Jay's persistent bickering, however, makes this impossible.

"…why'd you think you'd have any better luck over here?" Kai scoffs, almost amused at the way Zane tries to get his eye to stop twitching. Zane sighs, attempt abandoned, and rounds on Kai.

"Because I wanted to talk to you."

Kai's not terribly excited about that. "What, didn't Sensei get enough of a lecture in last night? You gonna jump in on that action too?"

Zane tilts his head. "Why are you so inclined to believe that my only intentions of speaking with you are to reprimand you?"

"Because the only times we've talked have been nothing _but_ that?!"

"Well then." Zane sits straighter, trying to smooth out his gi. "Allow me to try and rectify that."

Kai sits, waiting for whatever conversation is to come, but none does. Instead, Zane merely raises a hand and gestures toward a random spot in the distance. Kai can't see anything but glaciers, water, and snow, staring at Zane for prompting.

"I had a dream last night," Zane says, only putting Kai further into the realm of confusion. "I saw you, in the Ice Fortress, and you…fell through some thin ice. You started to drown."

Kai chokes on air.

"Wow, Zane, you sure know how to start off some small talk." Kai clutches his chest, pretending the words didn't just make him break out into a cold sweat. "…But it was just a dream, right?"

At this, Zane's face falls. At the same time, Kai's heart drops into his stomach.

"…it WAS just a dream, right?!"

Kai already knows the answer and he dreads it.

"The others already know this, but I am a Seer. My mother, she has a similar ability…and I appear to have inherited it." Zane fists his hands in his lap. "As far as I can remember, I've had a tendency to…receive visions. It’s not necessarily sights of the concrete future, but…I do get snippets of things that may come to be, or insights on upcoming situations.”

“That…sounds like seeing the future to me,” huffs Kai. “But even if I somehow believe this, why tell me now?"

"Well for a start, last night's vision concerned you, so I wished to inform you, but also…"

Zane blinks, staring straight at Kai. Kai shuffles awkwardly before Zane finally smiles.

"…you are one of us now. I trust you with the information."

Aw, touching. Except now Kai's going to be stupidly paranoid about any and all ice and water. …even more than usual.

"…so you're basically psychic thanks to your mom?" Kai opts to change the subject. Classic go-to maneuver. "That's cool, I guess…"

"Yes. And we are actually not that far from my homeland, the Birchwood Forest," Zane explains. He gestures towards the distance again. "The woods were white and the weather always snowy, but the sun found its way through the gray clouds regardless. It was very peaceful, and traveling so close to it makes me…nostalgic. I wish we had time for a visit, but we are on a bit of a time crunch.”

Kai squints at the horizon in the hopes of making out this magical forest. They’re definitely too far away though, so he leans back and sighs.

“Is there a village out there or something?”

“Well, there is a small one at the edge of the Glacier Barrens, but in Birchwood it was just my family and I. Not unlike the warehouse, we had a secret entrance in a tree that led to our underground workshop.”

That just raises more questions, as Kai’s never been to the warehouse, but he’s definitely putting that on the to-do list of “things to confront Nya with”. Such a list also includes “have you been driving your bike in the school again”, “did you know Dad could blast fire out of his hands”, and most importantly “please don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for Jay already”.

He finds a half-smile on his face, thinking of everything he needs to catch Nya up on. Although if he knows her well enough, and he does, she’s probably been five steps ahead of him the whole time.

“I am sorry,” Zane interrupts, seeing Kai suddenly not responding. His eyes seem to have dulled. “I did not mean to make you uncomfortable with family talk…”

Oh. Well, Kai hadn’t been thinking about _that_ kind of family, for once. And moreover, the reminder of Nya has only renewed his determination after yesterday’s blunders.

…but he's totally fine with bringing up the possibility of Kai's imminent death?! Kai has officially given up on trying to keep up with Zane.

"No, don’t worry about it. I was just lost in thought for once…"

Zane hums, understanding.

"…to think that these Glacier Barrens, the place my father once so vehemently forbade me from stepping foot in…would house something so important to me."

"Something important?" Kai echoes. "What, are you talking about the Shuriken of Ice?"

Zane nods.

"Yes—seeing how attuned Cole was with Ruamoko in the Caves, I can only assume how the next Guardian will react to me, the new Master of Ice…will it approve, or will I be deemed unworthy? I cannot even garner the approval of my peers at school—how can I expect to appease a powerful creature from another realm?"

Kai goes silent—now that Zane's brought it up, that's something they should probably be preparing for. Will Jay have to tumble with some squid-like abomination? Will Kai jump through fire to tame a lion?! Being judged isn't something Kai is ready for, and given his performance already…

He glances down at his gi; the golden lion insignia stares back at him. Its expression is more disapproving than Kai noticed.

But yeah, he would be disappointed too.

"Before I forget," Zane speaks again, side-eyeing Kai. "I did want to mention that I don't find you entirely at fault for the incident at the Caves. Were I faced with a roaring beast, and I had a weapon potentially capable of subduing it, I too might act upon my first instinct. I do agree it was a reckless move…but it was one any of us could have done. You just happened to be holding the scythe."

Well, technically Kai snatched it from Cole, but if Zane's missed that detail Kai's certainly not going to remind him. Besides, he's somewhat touched that Zane could be so…understanding. It puts Kai at ease. And he's not used to that.

"Well, if you ask _me_ ," Kai begins, clapping a hand onto Zane's shoulder. Zane stares at it, but says nothing. "…whatever crazy beast we run into in there is going to be so impressed by you they'll just let us walk right on up to the Shuriken!"

Zane relaxes, smiling softly. Kai grins in spite of himself.

Their moment comes to an end when Wu appears from wherever he'd been lurking, calling for a break for an early lunch. Cole wastes no time in locking the wheel in place while Jay has abandoned his homework. Zane stands and holds out a hand to assist Kai; Kai pulls himself up, stomach growling at the smell of freshly cooked seafood.

"All caught in the early hours of the morning by yours truly," Wu boasts, gesturing to the spread of fish dishes. Kai lets him have this, because _boy_ does this look like one heck of a feast—

Or at least, it would, if Cole hadn't already helped himself to a quarter of the spread.

"Cole!" Jay chastises, pushing the black ninja to no avail. "Save some for the rest of us…!"

"I am! I’m only taking one portion for myself!"

"Your _one_ portion size is two and a half plates?!"

“Nonsense! I haven’t finished filling the last one—“

Zane watches them argue for a moment more before turning to Kai.

“We should probably grab some food before there is none to speak of.”

For once they agree—Kai swiftly dives into the madness, nimble movements allowing him to work around Cole and Jay’s squabble to grab just enough food for both him and Zane. Tuna rolls, peppered salmon, and calamari spirals alike don’t go unclaimed by his hand. When Kai proudly presents a plate to Zane, Zane places a hand to his chin.

“…your portion is significantly smaller than my own.”

“Huh? Oh—"

Sure enough, he’s divided their food the same way he would have back at home: a little less for him, and a little more for Nya.

Kai freezes. He’s not sure what to do now—this is the first time he’s been called out for it. How is he supposed to explain without digging into more of his tragic backstory? And just when he was getting a little more comfortable talking to Zane too—

Sensing his discomfort, Zane simply takes the plate with less food and smiles. This snaps Kai out of it, managing only an inquiring look.

“I may have a passion for cooking, but my appetite is actually rather small. The other plate will be better off in your hands. Thank you for putting this together for me.”

And that’s that—Zane takes a seat next to Wu and devours his first bite. Cole sits on the other side of Wu, rubbing his hands together at the goodness before him. Jay, grumbling, sits beside Cole with a much smaller amount. Cole takes pity on him and tries to pass over some calamari.

“Here, I suppose I can spare these—”

Jay nearly smacks it away; Cole catches it between laser-fast chopsticks, affronted.

“Are you crazy?! I can’t eat that!” Jay wails. “What if the Lightning Guardian senses me eating its own kind and deems me unworthy?! At least give me a bread roll—"

“Do you speak of Tawhiri?” Wu asks between bites. “…hmm, given her disposition, perhaps it would be wise not to give her extra reason to be upset.”

Jay looks faint.

“Is there…anything else we should be wary of when it comes to the Guardians?” Cole asks, sobered with a full stomach. “We were overexcited last time, but we want to do better this time.”

Wu slides a glance over to Kai. Kai, cheeks full of food, nods eagerly in Cole’s direction.

“…very well then.”

Everyone immediately shuffles into position for story time. Zane sits front and center, Cole rolls next to him, and Jay lies himself flat on the ground, once again pulling out his homework. Zane sees Kai unsure of where to go, so he pats the side of him not occupied by Cole. With little other choice, Kai takes him up on it.

"Where we head is a place few men dare to tread," Wu begins ominously, passing each of his students a piping hot brew of tea to wash down their lunch. Jay takes a sip too early and nearly drops his cup in pain. "The Frozen Wasteland rests at Ninjago's crown, beyond the Birchwood Forest and the Glacier Barrens, where the lands lie coated in eternal winter…"

Zane leans forward, like being told a particularly compelling bedtime story. Cole leans on Zane, and Jay leans on his elbows. Kai watches them out of the corner of his eye, pretending not to be quite as curious.

"The Shuriken of Ice are buried deep within the Ice Fortress, guarded by Eirlys, a beast with fur of frost and claws like icicles. Eirlys is observant and calculated, driven by the instinct to overcome. She hails from a far, far away realm, one that my father traveled to only but once…and nearly never returned."

Jay raises a hand.

"It's all a story for another time, I'm afraid."

Jay's hand goes back down. Wu takes a sip of his tea, sighing deeply.

"As I've mentioned already, each element by itself is a powerful component of what allows Ninjago to exist as it does. Four perfectly balanced pieces that achieve total harmony. But it's through their combination that they achieve their highest capabilities…such as the Tornado of Creation."

"Ooooooh," goes Cole and Jay.

"Earth…Fire…Ice…Lighting!" Wu stands and strikes a corresponding pose for each element. "When all four achieve perfect balance and harmony with one another, they gain the power to create something from nothing—in the same fashion that the First Spinjitzu Master formed Ninjago."

On a whim, Kai stands up, whirling into the same poses Wu performed in an attempt to create the Tornado himself. He's halfway into the Fire pose when Wu pokes him with his staff.

"No, Kai. If performed incorrectly, or without harmony, it will lead to disastrous consequences."

Kai wilts back to the floor.

"Tch, disastrous consequences… _right_."

"Like…a Tornado of Destruction instead?" Jay asks.

The ship chooses that moment to lurch once more, sending Jay, Zane, and Kai to their backs. Cole sprints over to the wheel, swearing he "had the thing secured". Wu just mumbles under his breath, praying the incident is mere coincidence over being an omen.

* * *

Wu eventually does take the reins of the ship, if only because letting Cole steer is making his bones act up. They drift through the Glacier Barrens for another hour or so, until the looming image of a walled-up palace can be seen in the distance, a silhouette of blue against a white backdrop.

They still unceremoniously crash against the edge of land, as there’s not exactly a welcoming dock in a place like this, but at least they’ve reached their destination.

"To think a structure like this was hidden so far away from civilization…" says Zane in awe, the first to step off the boat. "How fascinating…!"

Jay is much more fascinated with pelting Cole in the back with a snowball.

“Augh! What the heck—?!”

Jay throws another, nailing Cole in the shoulder.

“Jay this is not the time for—!”

A third snowball nails Cole in the face. And, as according to universal snowball fight laws, this means war.

Zane drops his face into his hands as Jay takes a hesitant step back. Kai's eyes go wide as just as Cole hauls a boulder-sized snowball over his head. Only once the snowball's shadow looms over them does Jay realize the full extent of his mistake.

"You asked for it—!”

"This man is going to kill us," moans Kai, using Jay as shield and embracing the end as it comes.

...Upon learning a lesson in avoiding shenanigans, the ninja press onward. The snow crunches as they walk under the ice arches, following the winding path leading up to the structure. Swirling clouds of snow spiral from up overhead, as if the place wasn't imposing already. The winds whistle and howl, low and lonely, echoing into the barrenness of the Wasteland.

"…I don't like it here," Kai mutters, clutching his arms in an attempt to contain his warmth.

"Just remember guys," Cole begins as they approach the entrance. "We just need to grab the weapon, _not_ use it—especially when our enemies aren't even around this time, and we have an idea of what's waiting for us. This is an in and out mission if all goes well."

He gives a pointed look to Kai. Kai's too busy shivering to care.

Zane's the first to approach the door and gently gives it a nudge. Despite how cold the metal is to the touch, the entrance isn't locked nor frozen shut, opening with much more ease than expected.

Pools of icy water surround the walkways, with chunks of ice drifting calmly along the surface. Icicles hang threateningly from the ceiling, but regardless of the harsh impression the outside left…the inside is much more peaceful. The snow shines in pinks and purples, and light from the outside reflects off the ice and chases away the oppressive dark.

"Definitely not getting any fortress vibes," Cole remarks.

"Is this…built inside a cryovolcano?" Jay wonders, noting the sloped shape of the structure as a whole.

"What the heck is a cryovolcano?" Kai asks against his better judgement.

"It's basically a volcano that explodes cold material instead—you know, water, vapors, methane, ammonia…or maybe in this case, straight up ice. Scientists say that they're more common beyond our solar system, but somehow finding one practically in Zane's backyard does not surprise me."

"…listen, I can barely keep with our own magical histories and inherited destinies and parallel realms, let alone the idea of _icy space volcanoes_."

"But it would appear that Jay may be onto something," Zane concludes, kneeling besides one of the rivers, carefully putting his hand right in the middle of the icy mist that wafts from it. "This place is both man-made and cave-like in nature, not unlike the mountain housing the Caves of Despair. It's not hard to believe that the shape of this…cryovolcano would lend to the fortitude of the fortress built within it."

"Great, so we have a chance to be blasted by ice-lava? Cool," Kai huffs. Jay makes a face.

"It would be called cryolava, actually—"

"ANYWAY," Cole interrupts, coughing into his fist. "This place is way more straightforward than the caves, so it should be easier to navigate. Let's not waste time debating the topography and get what we came here for, all right?"

Zane nods, standing back up, while Kai and Jay pout but agree. Cole nods firmly, then leads the charge once again.

The Fortress proves much less perilous than the Caves, given that there's light in abounds and actual paths to follow. Jay makes a game of stepping only on dark blue bricks, while Zane keeps staring off into space. Kai stays vigilant, determined not to make a fool of himself this time.

Their luck with the path runs out—time has caused parts of it to cave in, leaving several spears of ice between them and the rest of the fortress. Cole is the first to try and cross anyway, alighting on each of the pinpricks and practically dancing to the other side. Zane follows suit, poised and balanced with every step, and not the least bit scared of slipping and finding himself impaled.

Kai and Jay are a different story.

"C'mon guys, it's just like the spire crossing from the training course," Cole calls.

"No it's not! This has freezing cold water and the chance of being skewered!" Jay calls back.

"And I can't swim," Kai whispers. Jay whirls on him.

"Are you more afraid of the water than the possibility of becoming a shish kabob?!"

"No," Kai lies, fooling neither of them. Really, he just doesn't want to risk any vision-induced deaths today. "I-Isn't there another way though?!"

Cole loudly tries to convince the two of them that there's nothing to worry about. Zane, meanwhile, assesses things from the other side of the river. Old half-crumbled pillars stand tall, and long enough to cover the gap. If they could knock them down, it might create something of a bridge….but the stability would be impossible to predict.

"I know that look," Cole says, giving up on Kai and Jay for the moment. He smirks, leaning on Zane's shoulder. "You've got an idea!"

"Hmm, something of the sort," Zane remarks, gently nudging Cole off and moving to one of the pillars. "Do you think you can knock this pillar over?"

Cole punches a fist into his palm, grinning. "Who do you think I am?"

"Cole Brookstone, fellow junior at Ninjago High, current Master of Earth—"

"Okay, _okay_ , I didn't mean literally…"

Cole calls for Jay and Kai to stand back; they immediately scramble as far from the edge as they can get. Once they're relatively safe, Cole kisses his fist before pounding it straight into the side of the pillar. It shakes, a few stray bits of rubble tumbling into the water, but then Cole rounds a kick right into its weak point.

The pillar lurches with a groan, snapping when it can't bend anymore, and topples into the water like a fallen tree. It hits the water with a splash, some of it hitting Kai. He screeches; Jay snickers.

"Now listen to me," Zane instructs. "You two have to cross one at a time. The pillar is not strong enough to support you both…but I worry that whoever crosses second might have a higher risk of falling into the water—"

"I'm going first!" yells Kai, already dashing across the makeshift bridge. Jay lets out an indignant "HEY!" as Kai bolts. His heavy footfalls take a toll on the already rickety foundation, more and more rubble crumbling off. By the time he makes it to the other side, there is significantly less bridge for Jay to use.

"Oh come on!" Jay complains, even more hesitant than before.

"It's gonna be okay, Jay! You've got better maneuverability than Kai _and_ a lower center of gravity!" Cole encourages. Neither Kai nor Jay appreciates the quip, but nonetheless Jay takes his first careful step. Instead of a bridge, the platform has become more of a balance beam. Jay holds his breath and keeps his arms out, risking nothing to lose his footing.

Cole keeps giving tips to maintain balance, while Zane watches the beam like a hawk. Kai, at first, had just been happy he'd made it…but with how concerned everyone else is, it's hard not to fret over Jay either. Between the two of them, Jay's got the better chance though—

"Stop!" Zane calls. Jay halts, while the sudden yell makes Kai jump. "The beam is weak there—if you step any further, it'll cave under the weight!"

Jay, once halfway into a step, immediately recedes. "Well what am I _supposed_ to do?! I'm not close enough to get off yet!"

"You could jump," Cole suggests, walking toward his end of the beam. Zane shakes his head.

"I would advise against that—if he jumps, it will definitely cave the beam. And if he misses, there's nothing to save him when he plummets."

"Definitely don't want to plummet!" Jay calls, still frozen to the spot. "G-Guys…!"

"You might have to take the risk with jumping," Kai says. Jay throws him a disapproving look.

"Easy for _you_ to say, Mr. I'm just gonna run across this thing and leave Jay to his doom!"

"Hey, I didn't mean to—"

"You're not _doomed_ , Jay." Cole rolls his eyes and crouches down, holding his hands out. "Just jump towards me and I'll catch you."

"B-But what if I miss—?”

"I’m your best friend; I'm _going_ to catch you, all right? Now _jump!"_

Jay's knees only shake once before he springs off the beam. Just as Zane predicted, it disintegrates from the force, the last of it sinking down into the water. Jay sails forward, arms outstretched and screaming, right into Cole's awaiting hands. Cole's grip intensifies around Jay's wrists, especially when his little legs flail inches from the surface of the water.

"Don't lemme go, don't let go-!"

"I _might_ if you keep waving around like tha— AAAAH!"

Now it's Cole's turn to shift off-balance, he and Jay starting to teeter over the edge. Kai manages to grab Cole, with Jay just barely skimming the water. But he's not strong enough to pull both of them up. The weight starts pulling Kai forward too, dragging him bit by bit closer to the edge.

"I'm sorry, I can't…I can't pull you back…!"

"If we could swap positions, I could—" Cole begins, only to be stopped when a rope sails through the air. It lassoes around Kai's waist, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Kai looks over his shoulder to see what just corralled him like cattle, finding Zane looping the rest of the rope around an icy rock and pulling with all his might.

"Nice one, Zane!" Cole calls, fear turning into pride.

Slowly, Kai's able to use Zane's momentum to haul Cole back to his feet, and from there, Cole's able to pull Jay up onto the platform. As soon as Jay is fully visible, Zane gives in, and they all collapse to the ground.

"Oh man…" Jay moans, practically hugging the ground and on the verge of hysterics. "If we have that much trouble with one little gap, I'd hate to see how we handle…literally anything else…"

"Don't worry about it." Cole lands a hand on Jay's head, ruffling his hair. "We're still getting this ninja thing all figured out, and once this is over, we'll have a better idea of what we need to work on to improve. I'm sure Zane's keeping a mental list as we speak."

"Guys!" Zane exclaims, hurrying over after removing his rope from Kai. "Are you all right?"

"We're fine, thanks to you!" Jay jumps back to his feet, giving Zane a friendly nudge. "That was some quick thinking with that rope-pulley system! I'm never leaving home without one now!"

"Well, we are ninja. It is important to be prepared for every contingency," Zane says. Cole then jumps on Zane's back, arms wrapped around his neck.

"Zaaaaane, that was incredible!" Cole laughs, spinning them around. "How are you so smart?! Teach me your ways."

"I've tried, but tutoring you is nigh impossible," Zane deadpans. Cole sputters, trying to explain that's _not_ what he meant while Jay breaks into cackles off to the side. Kai remains on the ground, deciding whether or not its worth it to even get up again.

He doesn't get to make that choice; Jay eventually swoops over and pulls him back to his feet.

"…you okay, Jay?” Kai asks quietly. Jay nods, beaming.

“Yup! Nothing like a near-death experience to thicken the skin!” The glee slides off his face though, replaced by contemptuous mischief. “…heard you can’t swim though. Might be nice to thicken _your_ skin too."

Kai winces. "I'm sorry I rushed ahead! I really didn't think that the pillar was gonna crumble like that…"

"I'll keep that in mind," Jay says, skipping ahead to where Cole's trying to get things back on track. Kai feebly reaches after him, only to drop his fist to his side. Zane slides up next to Kai, his usual contemplative look on his face.

"…Jay's ticked at me," Kai sighs.

"I warned you to be careful of who you make angry," Zane says without missing a beat. "Good luck getting back onto Jay's good side. And Sensei Wu’s, for that matter."

Zane walks off to join the others. Kai, despite not exactly being chastised, still feel thoroughly lectured.

And for the first time in his short life, suddenly the waters don't look so deep.

* * *

While the Ice Fortress might not be as maze-like as the Caves of Despair, without having a definite direction to go, the place takes longer to traverse. Room after room presents the ninja with puzzle after puzzle, or locks to undo on all the doors. The ground they travel on becomes more treacherous the deeper they go, everything covered with a thin layer of ice.

Zane skirts the ice with ease, using it to make ridiculous jumps or push around blocks to open the way forward. Cole has no shortage of praise for Zane's cleverness, while Jay stays unsettlingly quiet. Kai, too, lacks words.

"…we've gotta be reaching the center of this thing by now," remarks Cole hours later, staring at the map in lieu of anything else to do. Only the golden mark of a wolf stares back. "But at least we know they don't call this place a fortress for nothing!"

"…oh look, another doorway," says Kai. Like all the rooms they'd faced previously, this one was sealed by a golden door and a single lock. However, this one holds a difference in the size of the door. It takes up almost the entire wall, encompassing and intimidating.

Zane makes a questioning noise, hopping over to investigate. He rests his hand on the door, falls into perfect focus, then faces the others.

"…there's a lot of power built up behind the door. I know not if it is the weapon…or Eirlys."

"Or both," suggests Jay.

"In any case, looks like there's one more lock we gotta get past." Cole takes it in his hand and tugs. It shows no signs of budging. "…guess we just need a key though."

"How unfortunate—I was looking forward to performing another sliding puzzle," sighs Zane. He pushes past his disappointment and surveys the room. The final door rests at the back of the room, almost entirely surrounded by frozen water save for the walkway connecting to where they entered from. There's no other exits, or even any kind of hint.

"Ah, guys?" Jay speaks up, leaning over the railing. "…I don't think this room is without a puzzle after all."

The others trade a look before joining Jay in peering over the edge. Just beneath the walkway rests a single key at the bottom of the pool, chained to a metallic block. It sways with the gentle current of the water, taunting the ninja into even making an attempt.

"In order to get beneath the water, we will have to break the ice," Zane deduces. "There are no unstable pillars in here, but if we could knock down one of the large icicles from the ceiling…"

"I could probably throw a big rock, but my aim sucks," says Cole.

"I could probably hit the icicle, but my strength sucks," says Jay.

"Or we could do neither of those," says Kai. Jay makes a face while Cole puts his hands on his hips. "Well, if we can't hit it from down here, we should just go up to the icicle and knock it down ourselves!"

"And how are we going to do that?" wonders Cole. Kai points at Zane.

"Zane can tie his rope to his shuriken again, and throw it up into the icicle. Then one of us can use the rope to get up there and hack the icicle down ourselves."

"That's, like, a billion times more dangerous than me trying to throw a boulder!" Jay exclaims. Zane rests his chin on a fist.

“Well, Kai's plan is sound…the issue is, only Kai or Cole's weapon would be capable of effectively cutting the icicle down, but Cole would be better used down here to anchor the rope, as he is the strongest."

Cole kisses his bicep just as Jay pulls out his nunchucks.

"Hey, I could beat down the icicle with these babies eventually!"

"Perhaps, but there's little way for you to do that _and_ remain balanced on the rope at the same time, as proven from our previous spire misadventure. And we also run into a similar problem if we send Kai up there—"

"A rope is completely different from a pinpoint platform!" Kai huffs. "Lemme try, it was my idea after all!"

Zane chances a glance at the pool of ice, then back at Kai. "…are you sure you want to risk that?"

"Yes," Kai insists, readying his swords. He's tired of everyone else having to carry him in this place—it's about time he contributed too.

Seeing the determination in Kai's eyes, Zane sighs and loops his rope around his shuriken. He lines up his shot with care, then sends it flying towards the biggest icicle in the room. One of the pointed ends wedges right into the side.

"Now Cole—hold it tight enough so it supports Kai, but not so hard that you accidentally pull out the shuriken," Zane instructs, passing the rope off to Cole.

"Right; no problem!"

Cole adjust the rope to the appropriate amount of strength; Kai plucks it and ensures that it stays secure.

"All right…here goes nothing."

Kai takes a deep breath—he can feel Jay's glum stare and Zane's concern boring into his back. He makes the first careful step, finding his balance. His eyes fall close, and he lets his mind drift back to his very brief training. Balance was, and still is, something he struggles with, but he managed to do it when it counted, and right now _it counts_. One day, he'll be able to do this without even _thinking—_

…that is, if he decides to keep being a ninja.

"Whoa, Kai-!" Cole yelps, pulling tighter when the rope starts to quiver. "Stay focused…!"

"R-Right, sorry, sorry…"

No need to think about that now. Just knock down the ice. Get the key. Get the weapon. Get Nya.

Kai's eyes open—he's at the top of the room now, face to face with his icy adversary. He carefully pulls one of his katanas out of its sheath, searching for the weakest place to strike.

Ultimately he decides that every angle is weak, and thus makes a defining slash.

The cracking of ice echoes in the huge room. Cole, Zane, and Jay watch as the huge chunk of ice breaks from the ceiling, sailing down towards the pool below. Kai jumps from his perch on the rope to the falling icicle, hoping to use it as a platform once it makes its plunge. And, just as he intended, the icicle spears a perfect hole into the ice, cracking it just enough to allow someone passage to obtain the key.

"Piece of cake," Kai brags, hopping back to the walkway. Cole whoops in triumph while Zane heaves a sigh of relief. Jay puffs out his cheeks, less than impressed.

"All right now, who wants to go ice diving?" asks Cole. Jay immediately gestures at Kai. Kai slaps his hand away.

"I will—among all of us, I have the most experience holding my breath," Zane declares, removing his hood.

"…and WHY is that?!" Kai asks. Cole groans.

"He likes sitting underwater and testing how long he can hold his breath. He's broken his record quite a few times, actually."

"Weird flex but okay."

Considering no one else is really fighting to take a dip in icy water, Zane finishes prepping to make his dive. Taking in one last gulp of air, Zane runs a few steps and swan dives into the hole, making his way beneath the ice.

It's cold, as one would expect, but somehow it doesn't bother him. It's almost comforting instead…

He ignores that and focuses on the task at hand; even with his skill level, time is short. He swims a beeline for the key, and gives it an experimental tug. Pulling it out is not going to be an option.

Well, next plan—Shuriken. Zane takes both of them out, wedging them underneath where the chain connects to the floor. It's not the most graceful maneuver, but eventually it gets the job done. The key loosens enough to dislodge from the floor. Zane grabs the key and the chain and all—as long as he can get into the lock, it doesn't matter.

…however, he miscalculated how long it would take to free the key. Bubbles burst from between his lips as he fights off the urge to inhale.

There's no way Zane can get back over to the hole, not like this. Everything's already starting to go hazy. Suddenly desperate, he pounds at the ice from underneath, in an attempt to either break the ice _right now_ or call the attention of the other guys.

Jay, not doing anything particular, notices Zane struggling and goes blue with panic.

"I don't think he can get back out…!" Jay exclaims. Cole sees the issue as well and represses a scream-—there's no time for hesitation!

"Kai!" he commands, already running over to Zane. "I need you to cut a circle into the ice! We don't have time to knock down another icicle, but the ice should be weakened now that we've broken it…!"

"O-Okay!" Kai just does what he's told—action is his strong suit anyway. He springs across the ice, hopes no one notices the way he nearly falls flat on his face, and drives his katana into the ice. With a quick whip of Spinjitzu, he carves a perfect circle into the ice…then jumps away when Cole rushes toward him.

"AAAAAAA!" Cole screams, bringing both his fists down onto the circle. It shoots down straight to the bottom of the pool, creating a much closer exit. Both Cole and Kai reach their arms down to grab hold of Zane and drag him out. As soon as air is within reach, Zane gasps out, clutching Cole for support.

"You okay, Frosty?" Cole asks with poorly masked concern. Zane nods, regretful.

"…yes, I'm fine. My apologizes for worrying you; I overestimated my abilities…"

"Are you kidding?! You were down there for like seven minutes!" exclaims Kai. "Plus you got the key under all that pressure!"

"In hindsight we _probably_ should have accounted for the escape too," Jay chuckles with a shrug. "…oops."

"In any case, we've got the key to finally getting out of here," declares Zane. He holds up the keychain triumphantly, cuing the others to shed the dread of the moment and cheer. Cole and Kai help Zane back to his feet, allowing him to approach the door and undo the final lock.

It opens with a definite click; the lock falls to the floor, and an arctic blast flows in from the room beyond.

Zane is the first to take a step inside, nearly snow-blind from how bright the room is. Everyone's eyes adjust slowly, but when sight returns, they're greeted to a spacious room in the heart of the Ice Fortress. Ice cakes all the walls like crystals, while at the very center of it all sits a pedestal with the Shuriken of Ice in all their glory.

"…it looks like someone's already been here," Cole remarks, noting all the skeletons frozen in ice.

"Does that mean they're the ones that set the traps and stuff, knowing we were coming?" Jay wonders. Kai scratches his head.

"It's possible, but then, if they made it this far, what ended up stopping _them?"_

"I…may have an idea," says Zane, pointing towards the top of the room. The others freeze, this feeling now all-too familiar, and they follow their gazes to where Zane points.

Up in the alcoves of the room, two piercing blue eyes survey them from on high, their judgment cold and unforgiving. A bone-chilling howl then rakes the room, frost flooding in like mist, and suddenly there's only a streak of white.

Eirlys jumps down from her perch, sizing up the ninja as her next prey.

"WOOOOOLF!" yells Jay. Cole slugs him in the shoulder.

"Are you going to do that every time?!"

"MAAAAAYBE!"

"All right, tame that beast, Zane!" Kai commands, shaking on the spot as Eirlys circles them all like a shark. Zane gives Kai a disapproving look.

"Easier said than done, Kai—!”

Eirlys leans forward, evidently not liking what she's hearing, and lets out a much more forceful howl than before—one strong enough to crack the ice they all stand on. Eirlys remains as poised as ever, while the ninja trip, tumble, and slide along the slippery floor.

"Not again…!" wails Jay, sailing straight into the edge of the room.

"Someone grab the weapon!" Kai yells, struggling to stay standing. "Maybe it'll be like the Caves and we can—"

Eirlys _really_ doesn't like the sound of that. She stomps a delicate paw against the ice, which is followed by a shattering SNAP. The room divides in half, and any footing Kai has vanishes in an instant.

Kai barely gets his mouth open to scream before he's completely submerged in freezing water, the last thing he sees being Zane's horrified face.

One moment there's air and the next there's only water—everything goes from white to a deep dark blue and Kai can't breathe. He flounders, panics, makes things worse as he tends to do…and he's mad at himself for letting this happen even when he knew it was coming.

Well, he doesn't have many more seconds to be angry at himself anyway. Maybe he deserves this for being so stubborn, or not thinking before he acts, or nearly hurting Jay, or being awful to Cole and Zane, or losing Nya—

_"Kai…KAI!"_

He can't tell who's yelling his name; the water garbles the sound, and his hearing seems to be the first sense to go. He tastes and smells the saltiness of the water choking his lungs, he goes numb to the chill of the temperature, and he sees that this is probably the end for him, just as Zane predicted.

“ _Please, listen—you have seen the skeletons that invaded your home; we are here to protect the weapons from fiends like them!"_

And now there's not any time to appreciate the fact he might've been friends with an actual psychic. How cool is that?

_"I know you have no reason to trust us, as we are intruding as well, but please, hear us out...!"_

He coughs—more water seeps in, and the sheer burn he feels in his chest tells him that this is it.

_“I understand the need to protect more than anyone else, especially from people who only serve their own self-interests..."_

In his fading moments, he feels the hood of his gi tugging against his neck, and the water rushes down past him—

_"...but how can people prove themselves if you don’t give them the chance?! You have to give them room to try!”_

And everything comes back into focus.

Kai hacks up what's gotta be a gallon and a half of water, assisted by Cole whacking a fist into his back. Jay stands not too far away, looking rueful and on the verge of crying. But Kai can't find Zane, and in his exhaustion as he searches…he realizes his feet are nowhere near the ground.

He looks up, finding his hood rests in the jaw of a giant wolf.

Before he can work himself into a fresh scream, he sees Zane peeking down from atop Eirlys' head, waving eagerly with a bright grin and the golden weapon in hand. Kai feebly waves back, and Zane gently tugs at Eirlys' fur as a cue to put Kai down safely. Eirlys huffs frosty air out her nose, but acquiesces, lying Kai flat on his back. Kai stays there, contemplating his life.

"…how _long_ was I underwater?"

"Long enough," Cole decides, assisting Kai back to his feet. "Enough time for Zane to 'tame the beast' as you so put."

"He couldn't have done it sooner?! Nearly drowning is a TERRIBLE experience—"

Eirlys leans down and snarls right in Kai's face; Kai shuts up.

"Apparently Eirlys has no tolerance for nonsense," Zane declares, scratching behind the wolf's ear like he'd obtained a new pet. Eirlys' tail wags hard enough to whip up a wind. "Even hearing you talk about taking the weapon set her off. Fortunately I have managed to convince her otherwise. She and I…are perhaps not so different."

"Who's a good dog?! Who's a good dog?!" sings Cole, rubbing at Eirlys' belly. "Maaaan why couldn't my gorilla be this cuddly?"

"Last I checked, a cuddly gorilla would lead to a crushing death," Kai says, rubbing at his throat. "…in any case, can we get out of here? I'm freezing even more now thanks to that little dip."

Zane and Cole continue to coddle the wolf while Jay investigates the pillar the Golden Weapons were once perched upon. It’s a setup similar to the Scythe room in the Caves.

“…huh. I wonder if the Shuriken were holding off some kind of natural phenomena as well?”

Not a moment after he says so, the ground quakes once more, this time catching even Eirlys off-guard. Zane and Cole snap back to attention, Kai hangs onto the pedestal for dear life, and Jay has a really, really bad feeling.

As if this day couldn’t get any worse.

“The cryovolcano’s gonna blow!” Jay yells. Cole manages to hobble over to Jay specifically with the intent to hit him.

"You jinxed it, Jay-!"

"I did _not!_ It was a perfectly sound conclusion to draw up! I just had very poor timing!”

"Guuuuuys, how are we supposed to get all the way back out of here?!" Kai wails. "There's like twenty rooms before the entrance—!”

“Everyone, get on!” Zane yells, Eirlys kneeling down to allow the others aboard her back. Cole and Jay waste no time scrambling up, but Kai must move too slow for her taste for she flips him into the air for Zane to catch.

“Why does this thing hate me specifically?!” Kai wails before Eirlys shoots out of the room, jumping from iceberg to iceberg and out the door.

The ice and the water rumble with the threat of exploding, icicles crumbling from the ceiling with much more ease than ever before. The ninja cling to the wolf’s fur as a lifeline while weaving from room to room at blistering speeds.

But Eirlys knows every inch of the Ice Fortress, and no shortcut goes unused in her quest to evade the aftermath. She darts through the main hall and to the entry way, just as slush bursts from the surrounding rooms, threatening to flood the place.

Eirlys skids out of the front door and races down the path from the mountain.

The ninja, all being teenage boys, can’t help but look over their shoulder as the top of the fortress erupts in a fury of ice and snow, water and vapor cascading down the slopes in a single spectacle of nature.

“Cool,” whispers Jay in awe.

Eirlys eventually stops upon reaching the boat, the perfect distance away from the eruption’s aftermath. She kneels and unloads the ninja off her back, leaving them to gape at the disaster they narrowly avoided.

“Is Eirlys gonna be okay? I mean, that’s her home isn’t it?” Cole asks.

“She will be fine.” Wu appears from thin air, stepping forward to pet the wolf for himself. “The Ice Fortress was built into the cryovolcano with countermeasures for potential eruptions. Any excess will easily drain out, or refreeze, and it shall be like nothing happened at all.”

“Well that’s good, I guess.”

“In any case, I take it that eruption means you’ve retrieved the weapon?” Wu asks. Zane nods, pulling out the Shuriken of Ice and handing them to him. “Excellent work, students. We are officially halfway to our goal.”

“Huzzah,” says Jay, flopping into a pile of snow. “Now I’m just ready to sleep forever—someone carry me back to the ship.”

Jay’s request is ignored as everyone else says goodbye to the Guardian of Ice.

“Thank you for keeping them safe, old friend,” Wu says, a hand placed on her nose. Eirlys’ eyes roll skeptically towards Kai; Kai makes a face. “Yes, even that one.”

“Grrrrr, I don’t have to take this—!”

While Cole attempts to comfort Kai, Zane finds himself petting Eirlys one last time. The wolf’s gaze snaps from the shenanigans to Zane, a low purr of affection rolling in her throat as she nuzzles closer to Zane. Zane’s surprised at first, but it melts into gratitude as he returns the gesture.

"Farewell, new friend. May this not be our final meeting of two wayward souls.”

Eirlys pulls away at last. She throw her head back into a final howl, clearing the sky of its clouds and letting the bright full moon shine down on them all. With a final tail wag, she departs back to the Ice Fortress, only looking back just once.

"…dramatic much?" Jay scoffs. Cole rolls his eyes.

"Like you're one to talk, Sparky."

Jay and Cole dissolve into bickering in the same way they had when the day began. Kai, fresh off of several near-death experiences today, walks over to Zane. Zane's still watching Eirlys’ return to the fortress, a faraway look in his eye.

"…so how'd you win her over?" Kai asks, hoping the secret will help him out in the future. Zane only smiles softly, shaking his head.

“I told her we’d come in the name of preservation over destruction,” Zane explains. “And, in the same way Ruamoko did for Cole, she was able to see inside my heart, and must have approved of what she found there."

"….you're not really raising my hopes up here, Zane."

Zane plants a hand on Kai’s shoulder. They way he does it is extremely awkward, but Kai refuses to draw attention to it.

“You will know what to do when the time comes, and I don’t need any sort of vision to cement that as fact. …I’ve already witnessed a glimpse of the great things you’ll accomplish.”

Kai looks confused, tilting his head, but suddenly something clicks and he’s clutching Zane’s arm like his life depends on it. 

"…so when you said that you 'saw' something special in me on Wednesday—?”

Zane smiles brighter, arms folded behind his back. "Yes—I had a vision of you doing great things. And I chose to believe in what I saw, which thus means…I believe in you."

Kai _really_ wants to know what Zane must have seen, because not once this whole trip has Kai done anything noteworthy. And wherever they go next doesn’t look promising either…

What is there to be seen but further disappointment?

Zane must sense Kai’s quiet denial of his words, for a hint of sadness traces his expression when Kai walks away.

"…I just wish you could do the same for yourself."


	10. But What if This Storm Ends?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While searching through the Floating Ruins, Kai begins to consider what he wants from his life.

It’s cold, Kai decides on Sunday morning, but it’s not the same outright bitter blizzard the Frozen Wastelands had been. No, _this_ is the chill of a late summer/early autumn night welcoming in a last minute rain shower. The humidity is unpleasant, petrichor stings the nose, yet the wind still sends goosebumps up Kai’s arms.

Which makes him mad—he’s ready for a warmer mission already.

He stares out over the balcony where the rocky plains below stretch out east towards the end of the land. The sky is already dreadfully bleak, but out by the horizon the clouds are _ghastly_. And more than that, lightning consistently breaks from its cloud prison and strikes the earth below.

Somewhere in that outcry of nature is the Floating Ruins.

"…so tell me again why we're at…" Kai looks behind him at a giant neon sign. "…Wind Farms Power Station?"

"Because this is the last point of civilization before we cross into the Thunder Belt!" Jay exclaims, haughtier than usual. Kai rolls his eyes. "See, this power plant gets its energy by drawing from all the electricity stirring in the clouds within the Thunder Belt, and as it’s always storming in that area, it's a constant source of energy! This whole place is one big technical marvel! This place could power soooo many things, like cities, or vehicles, or an army of robots—!”

"…What Jay _perhaps_ means to say, is that there also was once a city within the Thunder Belt, but now it is in ruins," Zane interrupts. "At the heart of it all is the Lightning Temple, where we should find the location of the Nunchucks of Lightning.”

Kai stares over the side of the power plant, searching for any signs of ancient civilization. All he finds are jagged rocks and steamy mists cast out before him.

"Perhaps a change of perspective is in order," Wu suggests, nudging his staff in an upward direction. Kai blinks, but does as suggested…and lets his jaw drop.

High, high, _high_ above their heads resides what has to be some kind of city. The buildings scrape the sky, waterfalls of rainwater drizzle down to the streams below, and lightning strikes relentlessly onto all parts of the area.

No wonder people abandoned the place.

"…how are we supposed to get up there?!"

"And how is it floating?" Cole adds, much more concerned with the apparent defiance of physics.

"Electrostatic levitation!" Jay and Zane cheer. When both Cole and Kai look unconvinced, Zane coughs and does his best to explain.

"In simple terms, there's a point where an electrical field, such as the one created by the Thunder Belt, can cause a charged object to defy gravity and levitate, with that 'charged object' in this case being the Floating Ruins. However, the resulting electrostatic field becomes unstable, due to the equilibrium of the involved forces varying at an inequivalent rate."

"…in _actual_ simple terms that means while the ruins can indeed maintain their floating status, it's also not able to stay in one fixed place, meaning it has a tendency to shift position within the Thunder Belt," Jay concludes. "We won't have to worry about suddenly plunging from the sky, but a single strike of lightning could completely rearrange the layout of the entire structure."

"…so it's NOT defying physics?!" Cole’s really set on making that clear. Zane shrugs.

"Just barely."

Cole whistles. Kai shakes his head and waves a fist in the air.

"I don't care _what_ kind of science or magic is making it float, let's just get up there and get the nunchucks!"

"For once I agree with Kai's urgency," Wu says, much to an indignant Kai's offense. "With how tricky the Floating Ruins will be to navigate, it's best that you go in with as much time to spare as possible. I've called in a few favors here at the station to secure your transportation…you'll be departing shortly."

Kai witnesses a blimp being prepped in the distance and winces.

"Can we _really_ trust these people to guide us through an eternal thunderstorm?"

"The people who work here at the plant have specialized vehicles to keep track of the storm patterns," Wu explains. "You will be boarding one of their crafts in order to obtain safe passage."

"The blimps are also made of specialized rubber, deterring any stray bolts of lighting as well!" Zane adds. "We will be completely safe."

"At least until we get to the temple," Cole pipes up. Everyone sends glares his way. “…what? WHAT—?!”

* * *

It’s not long before the blimp has completed preparations and Wu ushers the ninja aboard. He gives them all a hearty wave as they take off, ascending towards the eye of the storm where the ruins await. Zane settles himself comfortably in a remote corner of the cabin to meditate in dry solitude, while Cole is forced into conversation with the captain.

“You guys going extreme sight-seeing or something?” The captain asks, completely oblivious to the ninja garb all of them wear. Cole’s eye twitches nervously.

“…Something like that.”

Jay, meanwhile, stares out over the balcony. He’s apparently the only one unbothered by the raging rain and whipping winds, and as much as Kai is not keen on getting wet again, he _does_ need to talk to Jay. Which is something he isn’t good at.

Nonetheless, he grows a spine and makes his way over. Jay raises an eyebrow when Kai leans beside him, his hairdo destroyed by the insistent rainfall. Neither of them move to speak first. They just watch the storm clouds cause an orchestra of chaos in the atmosphere, lightning lighting them up from within.

Kai’s content to stay like this, but Jay Walker was always a talker.

“…do you want to know something ironic?” Jay asks quietly, trying not to disturb the moment. Kai shifts, leaning on his elbows.

“What?”

Jay chuckles, hanging his head a bit. “I used to be afraid of thunderstorms as a kid.”

That _is_ ironic.

"Weren't we all, though?" Kai says, not totally sure where this is going. Jay shrugs, cobalt eyes still stuck to the sky.

"Maybe, but I was weird about it. It...wasn't _actually_ the storm that scared me…it was always what would happen when it ended."

Jay shuffles, burying his face in his scarf. It’s extremely tempting to pull it right back down, but Kai resists. Yet even behind the cloth barrier, Jay speaks clearly enough.

"…we're always told to prepare for the worst; to prepare for the harshness of the rain, the loudness of the thunder, the threat of the lightning…but then, even if we manage to weather the storm, no one told us how to prepare for the _nothing_ that follows. And that’s almost more intimidating.”

Kai tenses, not just because it's an odd thing to come from Jay, but also because it makes an unsettling amount of sense to Kai. He frets so much about 'what ifs' and emergencies, that when things are calm his guard drops…and things like Nya getting kidnapped happen.

And right now, as they trot across the lands and gather the weapons to stop evil…what will happen after that? Will the bad guys just _give up_? Will they have to spend forever fending them off? Or will something _worse_ just come along?

…will Kai even still be around for it?

Sometimes, the 'what happens after' really _is_ more terrifying.

"…and that thought crossed your mind when you were _younger?_ " Kai chokes out, alarmed.

Jay studies Kai carefully, lips presses into a line.

“…yup, that’s about how I figured you’d react.”

Kai holds up his hands. “No, it’s just…I’d maybe expect that out of Zane, or even Cole, but you…?”

Jay laughs but it’s hollow. He leans out further over the balcony, letting the rain weigh down his hair until he looks similar to Kai.

“Yeah, people don’t expect a lot of things out of me.”

Kai's heart twists—he knows that feeling too.

"That's why when Sensei Wu found me that fateful day, as his first choice no less, I'd thought I was finally being recognized for my potential. And yet my parents, who otherwise are always trying to kill me with kindness, were hesitant about letting me do this. And by the time I had _finally_ convinced them to let me go, Cole and Zane had a head start on me."

They both look back to find Zane still perfectly motionless in his meditation corner, while Cole has moved back outside to brush up on his moves in the rain. Jay smiles sadly, balling up his fists in his scarf.

"Those two have been great to me, but it's not hard to tell that I'm still not at their level. It feels like I'm always playing catch up, or being a third wheel, or just getting left behind…and when you joined, I thought things might finally be different."

Kai squints. "How?"

"Well, for starters, I wouldn't be the only one playing catch-up anymore, and I thought I could help _you_ learn the ropes." Jay rocks on his heels. "And, if nothing else, I thought...I just ...wanted to be your friend. Maybe be close like Cole and Zane are."

Jay's embarrassment fades, replaced by disappointment.

"But now I’m wondering if instead of being the third wheel on a bike, I'm gonna be a fourth wheel to a tricycle. Because in the Fortress, _you_ left me behind too."

That hits Kai like a punch to the gut. Jay's expression doesn't change, but the hurt is written all over his face.

"Jay, I really doubt I'm ever going to push you out of the picture. You're stupidly smart, you're fantastic at evasive maneuvers, and you can do a _lot_ of things the rest of us wish we could. You've got me beat in more ways than I care to admit." Kai glances down, frowning at the sea of clouds below. "And the reason I even rushed across the bridge is because Zane had seen a vision of me drowning…which nearly came true when Eirlys gave me a cold ice bath."

"Oh jeez, Zane told you about one of his visions?!" Jay groans, holding his head. "I made him stop telling me anything about me specifically because it makes me _super_ paranoid. So, I get that much, at least. And, um, I'm sorry about the jab I made with you and the water…it was in poor taste, looking back."

Kai releases a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, relaxing at last. Jay fidgets, tugging at his sleeves and refusing to look at Kai.

"…but. Still. Seeing how easily you could leave me in the dust hurt my feelings, okay?"

And now Kai just feels bad all over again. But, at least they've reached the heart of the matter. Jay doesn't even really appear mad about it anymore; he's closer to resigned, shoulders slumped, expression vacant.

He shouldn’t have to feel like that.

“I’m _really_ sorry I did that to you. I’ll…try to be more mindful next time. But I can't make promises—we both know I'm kind of a disaster when it comes to thinking ahead."

Jay snickers, shaking his head. "If _you're_ a disaster, then so are the rest of us."

"I guess that just means us disasters have to stick together, huh?"

Kai nudges Jay, trying to hide his smile. He chances a glance over his shoulder; Jay's pupils shake as his lip wobbles. Suddenly Kai finds two short arms wrapped around his mid-section. Jay snuggles in deeper; Kai has no idea what's happening right now.

“Ack, what the heck—?!”

Jay immediately lets go, taking two big steps back and looking anywhere but at Kai.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m kind of a touchy-feely kinda guy…" Jay glances back, hopeful. "…Is that a no-go on your end?”

Kai thinks about it. It didn't _really_ bother him, just caught him off guard. And he'd be lying if he said he couldn't use a hug after these last few days.

He says nothing, but hopes his outspread arms are answer enough.

Jay beams, rushing through the rain to return to the hug, tighter than before. Kai rolls his eyes, fondly this time. He tightens his hold as well, as if somehow this hug is keeping the both of them from falling apart.

* * *

Despite the altitude, it even rains _within_ the Floating Ruins, puddles and overflow flooding every crevice in the cobblestone floors. Dated designs decorate the walls and tell tales of a time long since passed, as thunder rolls through the sky and dark green clouds march across the gray expanse. Everything lights up blue as lightning forks the sky, giving only but a taste of what's to come.

"…okay, so, if I were a magical all-powerful weapon resting in the remains of a hovering dilapidated city, where would I be?" asks Jay, scanning the area. "Everything's too ruined for traps or tests…"

"The environment's already enough of a test," complains Kai, squeezing rain water out of his hair.

"I think I've got an idea guys, but you're not gonna like it," Cole declares.

When everyone turns to him, Cole merely gestures toward the sky…and at the unmissable structure that pierces through it. Above them rests a sea of swirling teal clouds, all centered around the top of a gigantic lighting rod in the distance. Bolts of lightning decorate the sky in every direction, and the static cling is stronger now more than ever.

"…ooooooh boy…"

"There's…a _ton_ of power coming from the top of the lightning rod," says Zane.

"So I guess we go up?" suggests Cole. Kai groans, but this time Jay steels himself and barrels forward. Lightning flashes dramatically behind him, and Kai tries to pretend it's just a coincidence.

"Nothing to it but to do it!"

And with that serving as a rallying cry, the ninja make their way through the ruins.

The sound of rain hitting the fragmented ground is almost peaceful, if it wasn't for the whipping winds in the backdrop. Broken lampposts and crumbling walls provide what was once some semblance of a street. Kai has to squint to keep his sight on the path ahead, but that does little to stop raindrops from pelting him in the eye. He has no idea how they're going to get to the lightning rod when the road is broken apart and the pieces are floating farther away with each step. Maybe they'd have better luck flying.

"Do you wonder what kind of civilization once lived here?" Zane asks, filling the silence. "Did they worship lightning until it brought about their demise? Did they have advanced technology with an endless power source that became too much to control?"

"Maybe they just got tired of the rainy weather." Cole shrugs. "I too would leave if something rained on my parade constantly."

"Whatever the reason, I hope their descendants are living good lives now," Jay says.

Kai doesn't have any profound thoughts on the matter. Everything just looks so waterlogged and crumpled; it's hard to think that anything _grand_ once existed here. Nya would probably have a field day with her theories though.

At least it means they don't have to deal with any potential hostiles—although it IS somewhat strange that they haven't seen much of the Skeleton Army since the Caves. Sure, there'd been a few weird stragglers in the Ice Fortress, but not a full-on squadron like at the excavation site.

It's almost too bad. Kai's kind of got the itch to _really_ fight something again.

But as it stands, the rain currently proves to be their most annoying adversary. Zane complains that he can't believe no one thought to bring an umbrella to the eternal storm—including himself.

"Ninja don't need umbrellas!" Cole insists. "Do you think our ninja ancestors hid in the shadows with parasols over their shoulders?! NO! They BRAVED the elements! Right, Kai?"

"Sorry Cole, I'm definitely on Team Umbrella." Kai once again tries to remove a bucket's worth of water from his hair. "Being wet sucks."

"THANK you, Kai," Zane scoffs, shaking his head. "Surely our ninja forefathers and foremothers would appreciate the advent of the umbrella, and perhaps would even find a combat use for them as well."

Cole puffs out his cheeks. "…yeah, because when I think of umbrellas, I think of beating someone up with it."

"I mean, _I_ would," mumbles Kai. Zane nods sagely. 

"A ninja must indeed be well-versed in many unconventional weapons in order to maintain the element of surprise."

Cole groans. "Ugh, _please_ back me up here, Jay…Jay?"

Kai blinks, glancing around. "Jay? Where'd you go? Jaaaaay?"

At some point during the heated debate, Jay got bored and decided jumping around in the scattered puddles was far more appealing. Like a child with brand new rainboots, Jay stomps around in an attempt to create the biggest splash he can, and in the process manages to send a tidal wave over Zane. Zane simply stands and takes it, unflinching. 

Cole moves to call Jay out for it, but Kai's hand is suddenly on Cole's shoulder holding him back. Kai winks as he passes by, and he's actually smiling when he twirls straight into a puddle and makes an even bigger mess of everything.

"…what in the world are you two—?” Cole begins, only to be interrupted by the pleasantness of Kai's actual _laughter_.

He’s just as bad as Jay, launching himself into the nearest puddle and letting the water sail into the air.

"We're already soaked, might as well go all the way and have fun with it!" Kai shrugs, leaping to the next puddle and splashing Cole. Cole sputters as the wave smacks him in the face; annoyance starts to seep in as well, but when he hears Zane stifling snickers behind him, all of that disappears.

"…you think that's funny?" Cole taunts, a wicked grin on his face. "And here I thought you didn't have a sense of humor…!"

"What can I say, your soaked hair resembles a dirty mop and it amuses me," Zane declares. Cole goes gob-smacked while Jay and Kai snort in the background.

"He's got ya there, Cole!" laughs Jay. Cole flushes.

"H-Hey! C'mon now, it's not as bad as Kai's—!”

"You heard Zane, he called you out! And Zane's never wrong!" Kai teases back.

"Oh, so now I'm only correct when it's not at your expense?" Zane retorts, with Cole whooping over his shoulder. Kai clicks his tongue, not about to take this, until he comes up with a whole new kind of terrible idea.

"All right then, hooooow abooooout...we settle this with a race up to the lightning rod? Or at least, up to a point until where we're forced to cooperate."

"Winner is declared best of the day!" Jay decides. As flimsy of a prize as it is, somehow it entices all four boys. There's too much fragile pride at stake to back down from a stupid challenge.

"So competitive…!" scoffs Cole, eyeing the lightning rod in the distance. "…but I could totally beat you guys to it!"

"As much as I clearly would emerge victorious, this sounds counterproductive to our secondary objective of team building," Zane muses. Jay swoops in, sopping wet, and drapes an arm around Zane.

"No it's not! A little friendly rivalry will do wonders for our budding bonds! It's like Sensei always says, steel sharpens stone, or something like that."

Zane looks aghast at the massacring of Wu's wisdom. "That is _not_ the proper saying—!”

"It looks to me like we're all in agreement!" Kai beams, turning to Cole. "Whaddya gotta say about _that?!_ "

"I'd say I'm already halfway there!" yells Cole, making a beeline down the path. Kai sputters, trying to make up for lost ground. Jay and Zane wail and follow suit.

"Hey, you cheater…! And you're not halfway there, we just barely started!"

"Eat my dust, slowpokes!" Cole calls, using his scythe to direct a stream of rain right at the others. "There's a reason I'm the leader!"

"If you say it's cuz you're the fastest, that's a lie!" Jay yells back, quickly closing the distance by ricocheting off every surface he can get his feet on. Zane's no slouch either, seemingly gliding on concrete and practically hydroplaning his way up to the others.

Kai's not about to lose this though—not when he suggested the whole stupid thing.

It becomes a race of ridiculous proportions—Jay's clearly got the speed as he bounds from platform to puddle to platform, moving like lightning itself. Cole's much slower but he has power, using huge splashes to slow everyone else down. Zane's somewhere between the two, much more focused on defensive maneuvers and evading everyone else's attempts at sabotage.

Kai, meanwhile, has the most agility, accumulating in equal levels of evasiveness, speed, _and_ the ability to totally soak everyone else.

He slips under a splash from Cole, he manages to get ahead of Zane and trip him up, and there's a split-second where he's ahead of Jay in the race. They playfully bump at one another, trying to get the upper hand. Jay's got parkour skills in spades, running along walls and bounding off lampposts, but Kai's more flexible, changing tactics as the need arises.

Obstacles are only that in his quest for conquest; he feels a little bit invincible, and who wouldn’t after surviving so many dangers already with even more to come? It's exhilarating, it makes fire pulse through his veins, and he feels so alive—!

For a moment, he finally feels like a true ninja. And he regrets ever thinking that he wouldn't want this forever.

"Yeah!" he whoops, leaping off a ledge and taking to the air. "Ninjaaaaaa GOOO!"

Fire bursts from his soul and surrounds him as he spins, the chill of the storm chased away by the heat of his flames. He hears Jay cackle not too far away, and static crackles besides him when Jay starts doing Spinjitzu as well. They use their momentum to reach a higher platform, alighting on yet another puddle and sending the water plummeting down below.

"Hey, where'd Cole and Zane go?" Jay asks, running backwards trying to find them. Kai eases up a bit—he's hasn’t seem then in a while either—until he hears Cole's undeniable whistle from somewhere above.

"Yoooo-hoooo!" Cole calls, he and Zane up on a higher platform. Cole uses his scythe to pull nearby pieces of debris closer to them to use as footholds, while Zane uses his Shuriken + Rope technique to lasso bigger pieces into more optimal positions.

"Seriously?!" Jay whines from below; Kai just shakes his head in disapproval. Cole blows a raspberry at both of them before turning back to grin at Zane.

"So glad we decided to team up—they're not going to stand a chance!"

"I would have been more than fine on my own, but I appreciate your company and assistance," Zane says, beaming. Cole pretends that doesn't make him weak and goes back to teasing Kai and Jay. The two of them are still on the lower level, but running for a ramp that'll put them even higher than Cole and Zane.

Cole puffs out his cheeks, scanning the area for something they can use. He spots a higher platform a ways away, but they currently have no way to jump to it. However, there's another chunk of debris hanging above them, and his eyes light up.

Cole slaps at Zane's arm, hopping next to his side. Zane glances down at him, eyebrow raised.

"Do you remember how you and Jay said that this place doesn't rest on a fixed location? And the platforms can move around because the stability's unstable or whatever?" Cole asks. Zane perks up, even if it is in confusion and at Cole's poor recall of scientific theorems.

"…yes…?"

"Maybe we can use that to our advantage…! Zane, bust out the Rope Shuriken again!"

"I am starting to think we should set aside a budget for a grappling hook," Zane huffs, but nevertheless ties his trusty rope to his shuriken once again. "What is your plan this time?"

"I want you to snag it on that debris up there and tug it towards us."

"…you are joking, correct? This is what Jay calls ‘a mere jest’?"

"No! We're going to swing over!"

Zane—less than impressed—quietly surveys the gap, their target platform, and the debris Cole wants to use as leverage. After deciding that 'it just might work', Zane sends the shuriken up into the debris, wedging it carefully into a crack. When the hold stays sturdy, Zane steps closer to Cole, looping an arm around him and tugging him close. Cole, naturally, is caught off guard.

"H-Hey, what—?”

Zane huffs, holding Cole to his chest. "This was your idea, so this is _my_ execution—hang onto me!"

"I-I mean, okay, but—"

Cole goes from a very loose, respectful grip to a straight up bear hug as Zane pushes off the ground, their current platform sinking downward from the force. Cole hollers as there's suddenly _nothing_ supporting his flailing legs and g-force pushes against him, and it's terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

He stays strapped to Zane like a backpack; Zane, straight-faced, swings from one debris bit to the next, using them to propel them closer to the next platform. When they're almost across the gap, Zane pulls down on the rope, dislodging the shuriken and letting momentum carry them the rest of the way.

Zane lands like a pro. Cole, still red in the face and hanging onto Zane with a death-iron grip, is three inches off the ground.

"…I can't believe that worked," Kai gapes from below, watching Zane and Cole pull themselves together and rush off. Jay claps his hands in excitement.

“This place really _is_ like gravity’s gone on vacation!”

"Forget that, how are we supposed to win now?! They have ROPE!"

As Kai fears all is lost, Jay slips his bag off his back and starts fumbling around with it.

"Zane's not the only one that can get crafty!"

Kai peeks over Jay's shoulder as Jay pulls everything but the kitchen sink out of his bag. He straps a strange pair of googles onto his forehead, while scraps of metal, bolts, screws, springs, something like a radioactive glow stick, and who knows what else pour onto the floor.

"And how is any of this supposed to help us catch up?!"

"Haven't you noticed? The real reason I was following the puddles to begin with is because all the water's flowing eastward," Jay explains, rapidly tying the metal bits together with rubber bands and wires. "There's a slight tilt to the ruins, which I suspect is because the lightning rod's attraction is pulling the static energy towards it, and the result of that pull is tugging the ruins downwards on one side _towards_ the lightning rod, which naturally also affects the rainwater, which means following the flow is the fastest way to the lightning rod itself."

"…and you figured all that out just by looking at the water runoff?"

"Yup!" Jay stands back up, holding his hasty creation proudly in his hands. "And we can use the slope, water flow, and the electrostatic levitation to beat out Zane and Cole plus reach the lightning rod in efficient time!"

Kai gasps, failing to hide his excitement. That's one bit of technobabble he's able to translate.

"You basically superbuilt a hoverboard."

"I basically superbuilt a hoverboard that runs on static charge!"

Jay demonstrates by tossing the board to the ground. It reacts to the static charge of the air almost immediately, hovering just a scant few inches off of the ground. But that's all Jay needs to hop on and gently push off with his foot, the board propelling forward at a speed Zane and Cole could only dream of keeping up with.

Kai laughs in disbelief, hurrying after Jay before he can get too far ahead. Jay sees him running and holds out a hand, smile wide and bright on his face.

"Temporary team up?"

Kai narrows his eyes, grinning as he takes Jay's hand. "I mean, everyone else is doing it."

Jay snickers, latching his hand to Kai's wrist and pulling him aboard. Kai wobbles with the landing, but uses Jay's shoulders as leverage. Jay pushes off again, this time dragging the board over a small stream, and using that to propel them even faster.

They cheer as they soar across the platforms, sailing over gaps and sliding over streams with reckless abandon. Sparks of static fly out behind them, leaving a blazing trail of blue in their wake as they cross the ruins. Kai leaves all the fancy footwork to Jay—for once, he's just along for the ride.

When they see Cole and Zane again, Jay kicks the board into the air, grinds on a rail, and spirals right up onto the platform next to them. Cole and Zane only have a moment to balk before Kai sticks his foot down into a puddle, the resulting spray forcing the other duo to flinch and slow down.

"Yeah, so ninja!" Kai and Jay yell, trading a high five as Cole wipes the water out of his eyes.

"No fair, they're using machines! That's way better than rope!" Cole complains, elbowing Zane. "C'mon, they're overtaking us!"

"Right!"

Zane jumps against a wall and leaps up, twirling into Spinjitzu as he does. He spins downs the length of the wall, while Cole follows suit along a stream. Once airborne, Cole jumps out of his spiral and pulls out his scythe. He brings it high over his head, then straight down into the road, the impact just enough to dislodge a chunk of the ground. From there, Zane swings his shuriken into the debris, using the attached rope to swing it up and around over his head, then sending it flying towards Kai and Jay.

"Incoming!" yells Kai, ducking as rubble and rain alike patter against his head. Jay veers left and right as Kai commands, eventually swerving into a dilapidated alleyway of sorts. Waters flood the path ahead, but Jay hits it without worry, using the current to their advantage. However, Cole and Zane flank them from either side up above, the both of them using Spinjitzu to send down even more debris.

"Augh!" wails Jay, one piece plunking off his head. "I can't focus like this—!”

"Don't worry, I got it! Just keep steering!" Kai exclaims. He pulls out his katanas and spins around so he's back to back with Jay, facing Cole and Zane. He smirks, cutting through the air and deflecting the rubble with scary accuracy, even sending some of them right back up.

"Ow!" Cole rubs at his shoulder where a pebble managed to nick him. Kai and Jay zip out of the alley and into the remains of a plaza, the last landmark before the lightning rod. A fountain of water miraculously still runs, but it too is charged with electricity, electrical currents running through the streams in a phenomenon of nature.

"…Nya would like it here," Jay says absently. Despite the adrenaline high, somehow that brings Kai back down a bit.

"…yeah, I thought the same thing."

"When we get her back, maybe we could come back and show her!"

"Only my sister would want to take a vacation at a old flooded ruin with electrical death traps…"

Jay grins, doing a loop around the fountain before taking off again.

"Well, it already sounds like _our_ kind of fun!"

"No kidding."

The base of the lightning rod gets closer, but aside from the thunder the place is eerily quiet. Kai glances around…and realizes that he's lost track of both Cole and Zane.

"HYAAAAAAH!"

Kai and Jay look up; Cole dive bombs from the sky, scythe raised again like Death himself decided to drop in. Jay turns sharply to avoid, but only winds up having Cole crash onto Kai and sending the board completely haywire. It does a 90 degree spin and aims right for Zane, who's still just trying to make a run for the finish line. He makes the mistake of freezing upon seeing the oncoming hoverboard.

"Wait, look out—!”

It's too late: Zane slams into Jay, Jay topples into Kai, Kai sends Cole flying into the air, the hoverboard sails over the edge of the platform never to be seen again, and all four of them tumble to the ground and amass into one big ninja pile.

When the dust settles and the adrenaline fades, the boys all groan in pain, but for some reason Jay's spontaneous case of the giggles becomes contagious and all of them lose themselves in laughter.

"…can we safely say that was a tie?" Jay chuckle-asks from the bottom of the pile.

"In hindsight it probably was not the best idea to be splashing around in the middle of a lightning storm." Zane of course chooses now to bring that little tidbit up, but everyone's too momentarily exhausted to be mortified.

"Well, if we haven't died yet, I'd say we're in good shape," Cole decides, and from there rests his head on the wet ground for a three-second nap.

Kai, still hyped on adrenaline and generally good feelings, stays sitting at the top of the pile cackling until the other three push him off into a puddle.

* * *

Upon reaching the base of the lightning rod spire proper, it only then dawns on the ninja how much of a _pain_ it's going to be to climb up the thing. It's wet and slippery, its stupidly tall, and it's already basically a giant magnet for lightning strikes…so there's really no safe way to get to the top of it.

"…so in conclusion, Jay should climb the thing alone," says Cole. Jay squawks in protest.

"What?! Why me?!"

"Because you're the most nimble and probably impervious to lightning thanks to your element. It’s like how I can hear earth vibrations or how Zane and Kai are resistant to temperature."

"Heat might not bother me, but I’m not resistant to cold… _yet_ ," Kai huffs through chattering teeth. Jay waves a fist.

"You can't just say what abilities I have! _I_ don’t even know what I have!"

"Well _I'm_ not going any higher!" Cole insists, shoulders shaking. "...I'm afraid of heights."

"Dude, you climb mountains without a harness for _fun_ , how are you afraid of heights?" Kai scoffs.

"Not to mention we are quite literally several stories up off the ground," adds Zane. Cole stiffens at the reminder, grimacing. 

"Listen, when I'm rock climbing or whatever, I can feel the earth or the floor or _something_ beneath me, so it's like I'm still connected to the ground, even in a small way…but flying, or being in a position where free-falling is a possibility? Yeah _then_ I get a little freaked out. Been trying to keep it off my mind this whole time."

"And yet you were fine with swinging across nearly bottomless drops with Zane…?" Kai questions. Cole swats at him before he can say anymore.

"Th-That was different! Different!"

Kai gives Cole a skeptical look. Cole flushes and refuses to look Kai in the eye.

Jay, meanwhile, puts a hand to his chin and thinks over Cole's words.

"…I guess I can understand that—I _love_ being up high, but like, I'm deathly terrified of being buried alive…?" Jay shudders. "Maybe it's because we're opposite elements?"

"So I'm afraid of water because it's kinda opposite of me?" Kai asks. That’s actually almost something of a relief. "…does that mean Zane's afraid of fire or something?"

“I fear only death and a lack of humanity,” Zane says, both suspiciously and defensively.

"ANYWAY, enough about our fears," Cole coughs loudly, nudging Jay closer to the spire. "Jay, start climbing or so help me—"

"FINE, fine, I'm going, don't be pushy…! But if I die, tell Nya I did it all for her~ _"_

"I'm _not_ telling her that," hisses Kai. Jay sticks out his tongue, then sets to making the climb.

Clearly the spire isn't meant to be climbed—the lightning rod itself resembles nunchakus, with the base and the top being the handles and the connector in between resembling a chain. It's metal and smooth, meaning there's very little way for Jay, or anyone else, to get a grip on it.

While Jay tries to puzzle out a solution, the others hang back, surveying the area carefully. Kai's still waiting for the skeletons or the crazy shark lady to pop out.

A bright flash covers the area, and a giant clap of thunder shakes the entire ruins. The rumble is low and deep, yet no less intimidating. Kai is thrown into a nearby wall with the force while even Cole is standing shaky from the impact.

"That…did not seem like it was caused by the storm," Zane remarks, already crouched in a defensive position. Cole does the same, while Kai frantically searches the sky—and goes pale upon seeing an unmissable blue orb of electricity rising like the sun over the edge of the ruins.

"…JaaaaAAAAAAAYYY—?!"

Jay pops out of his thinking pose, oblivious to the impending chaos. "What?"

Lightning strikes again, this time unto the lightning rod itself, and Jay certainly doesn't miss that. A charged bolt shoots down the beam and straight into the ruins. The shockwave washes through the cracks in the ground, like blood through one's veins.

In a single moment, the Floating Ruins have come to life.

Power pulses through the pavement, old machines long since dormant awaken from slumber with the yawning grind of rusted gears, and even worn-down satellites rise from the rubble. Jay's head snaps in every direction, taking in everything new all at once, but it pales in comparison to the brilliant display of power hovering before him. The sudden rush of static he feels makes his hair stand on end.

…that, or the fact there's now an angry, floating, sparking sea-creature hovering before him.

Jay inhales, then, at the top of his lungs:

"OCTOPUUUUUUS!"

"Ooooh yeah, forgot about the Guardian…" Cole laughs nervously, shielding his eyes from Tawhiri's blinding light.

"Dang—I really thought it was going to be a jellyfish," sighs Kai.

"Jay!" Zane yells over the now whipping winds. "You have to convince her to give you the weapon! You have to convince her you're worthy!"

"How?!" Jay screams, already darting left and right to avoid an onslaught of lightning. Tawhiri makes a sound that's probably equivalent to a scream, which is impressive given that she doesn't seem to have an actual mouth. Her body is like a storm cloud while blue tentacles lash out like lightning strikes, nearly electrocuting Jay, but Jay scrambles around until he spots a small group of floating debris to take shelter with.

Tawhiri gets bored with Jay eventually, finding much less evasive pray in the other three ninja. They all collectively yell and scatter, Tawhiri snapping her tentacles out and destroying chunks of the ground in single strikes. Kai gets sent into the air by the wave of the impact, Cole and Zane barely able to pull him to relative safety behind the lightning rod.

"Okay, those other two Guardians may not have actually been trying to kill us… _but this one's trying to kill us_ ," Kai laments.

"Sensei _did_ say Tawhiri has a bit of a temper," Zane adds.

Cole shakes his head. "Either way, if we don't do something soon, instant-fried ninja is going to be on this thing's menu!"

Tawhiri maneuvers around the spire, setting her sights on the trio. Electricity shoots out from her maw; the boys dodge in the nick of time, although Cole and Kai's hair now stands in all directions as a result.

"Ugh, I'm going to need to seriously invest in some hair gel after all this…" Kai complains, desperately trying to get his hair to lay back. He winces when Tawhiri takes a few swings at him, her tentacles just brushing over the top of his head when he ducks.

"Hey, squid-bag! Over here!" Jay hollers from the other side of the area, waving his arms and making a show of splashing around in a puddle. Tawhiri turns her sights onto him, floating his way like a bullet.

"Jay don't _taunt_ it! You're trying to get her to _like_ you!" Cole chastises, ducking as a chunk of building crashes above his head.

"Better that she targets me than you!" Jay calls back, diving behind a wall as Tawhiri strikes again. "I've got an idea though, but surprise, I'm gonna need Zane's rope!"

Zane's already got it in his hands. "What do you require?"

"Get at high as you can and throw your rope-shuriken at the lightning rod!"

No one says anything more; Jay keeps Tawhiri's focus on him while the others scramble around to gain higher ground. Kai and Cole work on making stairs out of floating debris for Zane to use, while Zane makes his way up as high as he can. He jumps off the wall and uses Cole and Kai's placed path to gain some height. Apparently it attracts attention, for his foot slips only once and Tawhiri instantly whirls on him.

Tawhiri's tentacles swing into Zane's makeshift stairs; Zane, now airborne, throws his shuriken as high as he can, and manages to wedge it into one of the chain links of the lightning rod perfectly. It's nowhere near the top of the spire, but it doesn't have to be. 

Jay hurries while Zane still has hold of the rope, rushing to use his own collected debris to get some airtime. He takes out his nunchucks and lunges towards the rope, hooking them over it and sliding down towards the center. When he feels the tension at its strongest, Jay flips himself so he's above the rope and lets go, rocketing himself upwards like a slingshot.

And then, Jay's in the air, silhouetted against the raging storm.

Tawhiri sees her chance and charges straight at him, the other ninja screaming at Jay to move. Instead, Jay twirls in midair so he faces the beast, simply holding out his hands. Electricity races across Tawhiri's body, and Jay braces himself for the shock of a lifetime when his hands rest upon her head.

But nothing happens.

Jay freezes while Tawhiri goes still. They stay poised in the air for a solid few seconds, lightning cracking behind them, but then both topple into freefall. All the lights go out in the ruins one by one; all the power starts to fade back into oblivion. That temporary spark of life is gone.

"Jaaaay!" Kai hollers, unable to do anything more than that.

Thunder roars through the ruins, louder than ever before, and suddenly Tawhiri is on her way up again, Jay hanging onto the top of her head. The two of them ascend parallel to the lightning rod, rocketing their way upwards. Kai jumps and whoops while Cole and Zane clutch each other in excitement. Jay's own hollers can be heard from on high, and they even see him throw his hands into the air as he flies towards the heavens on a chariot of electric blue.

But they've still got a ways to go until the top.

"…I understand, you know," Jay says in the midst of it all. "I know why you're so angry."

Tawhiri screeches, a sound more akin to thunder, and Jay smiles sadly.

"…you're lonely out here. You make your outbursts, bright as a lightning strike, unmissable as a crack of thunder, to hopefully get someone's attention…but no one ever heeds the call."

Jay carefully pets her head; surprisingly, giant magic alien octopi are actually really soft. Jay even swears she's purring.

"When the people that lived here left, for whatever reasons those may be, they didn't just abandon their home…they abandoned you too. And…you destroyed everything, because you were angry, and it rains forever around here, because…you're still upset."

The top is within reach. Jay can see the storm clouds beginning to fade; the sun's ray peek through the barest cracks in the clouds like glimmers of promise and hope.

“You shine so brilliantly, and yet, that light is sometimes brighter than people can handle. But there are always those who will choose to weather your storm, and find the rainbow you provide at the end...even if a rainbow isn't always guaranteed. But, the hope of getting to see it when the storm ends is worth taking the risk for."

The top of the lightning rod reached at last, Jay's presented with the Nunchucks of Lightning. They stay connected by an everlasting bolt of electricity, crackling constantly with life. Jay feels their power shoot up his arms just by grabbing them.

The clouds above the ruins swirl away, their agonizing green color replaced by the blue of the sky. Their color goes from angry gray to fluffy white, and the sun reflects among the remaining raindrops in the air, the faintest hint of the rainbow spreading across the expanse.

For the first time in ages, the storm in the Thunder Belt comes to an end.

It's only a temporary thing, as all sunny days are, but that just makes it all the more worthwhile to behold. Tawhiri purrs again before making her decent, bringing Jay back down into the awaiting arms of his friends.

"Jay!" exclaims Cole, grabbing Jay in his entirety and spinning around him in a hug. "You did it, man! For a second, you really had me going there!"

"But your words managed to move both Tawhiri, and us," says Zane. "You have a gift for prose and metaphor. Truly something beautiful to behold."

“Guess you weren’t lying when you said you’re a poet,” teases Kai.

Jay immediately goes red, frantically waving his arms and the Nunchucks of Lightning.

"Wh-what?! There's no way you heard everything I said way the heck up there!"

"Well, with how much of a loudmouth you are, it's not _that_ hard to believe," says Cole. Jay makes a whining sound and buries his face in his hands. Kai steps next to him and gives him a consoling nudge in the arm.

"Hey, come on, we mean it, Jay—what you said up there…that was just the thing Tawhiri needed to hear."

Jay sighs, lowering his hands and smiling at Kai. "Ahahaha, yeah, well…maybe it was something I needed to hear too."

Tawhiri screeches again, not wanting to be left out of the moment. Jay laughs and holds out his fist; Tawhiri lifts one of her tentacles and gives a fist bump as best she can.

"…only Jay," Cole says with a headshake. "…but what say you, boys? Shall we finally get out of here?"

"I dunno, when it's not raining, it's not so bad up here," says Kai. "…but uh, did that guy with the blimp plan to pick us up again, or are we supposed supposed to jump or something?"

Cole suddenly goes pale. Jay says a final goodbye to his new octopus friend and makes his way over to the other ninja. He reaches into his bag and pulls out yet another Jay-brand surprise.

"I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I packed these bad boys!"

"Are these parachutes?" Zane asks, taking the small package Jay passes out.

Jay grins wickedly. "Something like that."

"…oh no. I'm out—" Cole tries to make an escape once one of the packs is thrust into his grip, but Kai grabs his arm and keeps him grounded.

"C'mon Cole—think of it as a training exercise!"

"I'd rather think of it for what it is: jumping to my death!"

"No one's gonna die! I've tested these exactly six times!"

"And how many times did they work?" Cole asks. Jay turns away from Cole, hoisting his bag higher onto his back.

"…anyway, let's go!"

"Jay?! You didn't answer me! JAY GET _BACK_ HERE—!”

Jay pointedly sprints away from Cole, racing towards the edge of the city. As Tawhiri returns to her post in the heavens above, the clouds begin to close back in and the rain starts pouring down once more. This does little to deter Jay, he and his friends taking the biggest leap they can off the edge of the ruins, laughing at gravity all the while.

"WOOOOO!!!" yells Jay, spiraling around in his freefall without a care in the world. Cole, meanwhile, has never screamed so loud in his life, hanging onto his sanity only by gripping Zane's arm on the way down. Kai's with Jay—he's feeling a rush like no other, cackling as he falls as one with the rain.

Jay then lets his wings go free, catching his descent and letting him soar along with the wind. Kai and Zane's wings follow suit, Cole still screaming before finally pulling the lever on his own wings. But as their fall begins to turn into a graceful glide back down to the earth below, Cole's terror slowly melts into the same exhilaration as everyone else.

As the ninja's shouts echo into the night, Samukai watches from the forest below, snickering to himself while his henchmen only look on nervously.

"Is everything…still going to plan?" asks Nuckal, bones shaking with nerves.

"They've got most of the weapons now—there's no way we can get them all back like this!" exclaims Kruncha. 

Samukai chuckles, clenching his fist out before him. Somehow, their boss' pride in the situation only gives them more concern.

"As Master Garmadon said, everything is as it should be. And tonight…we enact Phase 2."


	11. And Everything Just Stands So Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wu makes a realization and a decision; Kai realizes he resents that decision; Garmadon decides to see if Nya realizes something.

Camp is settled in the midst of the Forest of Tranquility, the large strip of pine greenery situated just outside of the capital. It's only a two-hour journey back to the city, but with the day already so close to the end, more adventure can be put off until tomorrow…this time.

Wu casts his gaze across the forest, over the muddy ground and out to the coast where he knows the ocean rests. An island sits not too far off the shoreline, housing a volcano that burns eternally. The wisps of smoke that drift from the peak paint the sky, even from over the trees and against the dusk.

The smoke marks their next destination: The Fire Temple. A journey sure to be rift of danger and desolation.

…but it’s suspicious, Wu thinks, how little resistance has confronted his ninja during their time crossing the lands. There had been an entire excavation attempt at the Caves—and then, just nothing? Surely the Skulkin would have been more bloodthirsty and desperate than that; surely Garmadon would've made another move already…

Or, perhaps, what if his brother already had by not moving at all?

Wu can't come up with why this would benefit Garmadon—other than ensuring that the weapons end up in one place. But in the united hands of the ninja, that would _also_ only make them harder to retrieve.

…Garmadon always did like doing things the hard way.

Regardless, he can't burden his students with this possibility just yet. There's no real proof, after all, and as much as they should be getting their rest for tomorrow, watching them delight in their victories is too much to pass up. Their weekend has been long and arduous; a moment's respite isn't undeserved.

He feigns indifference as they make no secret of their presence in the forest with the loud chatter about their escapades in the Floating Ruins. Kai builds a fire while Jay rambles in extreme detail about the 'specs' of a 'hoverboard', while Cole and Zane drift in and out with their input as they gather up supplies from the surrounding area. At some point, their restlessness leads into the discussion of a celebration of their progress, and Wu finds himself in the middle of a dance party.

While wildly premature, it would be a lie to say that it doesn't amuse him. All four boys have changed so much from when he first met them—a spontaneous celebration in the middle of the forest is something he wouldn't have previously expected out of any of them.

Zane, always keen to observe from a distance now dives right into his friends’ antics. He crafts a drum from rubber leaves and fallen bark, passing it to Cole with the silent plead to play.

Cole, always kind but keeping to himself has manifested the traits of a future great leader. He happily barks out suggestions to the others while guiding them along with the gentle beat of his new drum.

Jay, always so enthusiastic yet shy around others opens up as soon as he becomes comfortable. His grin is contagious as he grabs Kai’s hands and pulls him into a careful spin around the campfire.

And yes, even Kai has begun to change for the better despite the circumstances. His shoulders sag with less of the weight of the world; he laughs more, he hesitates less. Wu's even beginning to see shades of the young, joyous child he'd assumed would only be witnessed in old photographs. That child hasn’t completely reemerged, but the progress is impossible to miss.

“C'mon Sensei, join us! Get up here and show us some moves!” Kai pleads between spins, holding a hand out in Wu’s direction. The grin he wears is infectious. And it's incredibly hard to say no to that face, really.

"…hmmm, I guess I could."

Kai's face brightens even more, if possible, and all the ninja now wait with baited breath and wide eyes at whatever move Wu's about to bust out. He stands up properly, striking a pose that could either be the next big dance craze, or the start of an ancient ritual. Perhaps both, if he plays his cards right.

"Now, THIS move is very special—"

"But if done incorrectly, will it lead to disastrous consequences?" Zane interrupts, completely deadpan.

A snort rips out of Cole, just as Jay doubles over cackling. He uses Kai for support, even though Kai's hardly stable himself.

"Z- _Zane_ …!" Kai gasps out between giggles. "Was that a JOKE?! Y-Your sense of humor, you found it…!"

"I know not what you mean," Zane insists, although he's fighting off the twitching beginnings of a smile as well. Wu huffs in Zane's direction, and as Cole gets the music back on track, Wu 'shakes what his momma gave him'. Kai and Jay immediately try to copy him step for step, which only serves to embarrass them all further.

The boys try to prolong the merriment for as long as they can, even as the rising moon serves as a reminder of the daylight they don’t have left. Eventually Cole's beats trail off, all of Zane's food goes consumed, and for just a moment, they all bask in the light of the campfire and the company of each other.

The soothing sounds of the forest settle in; Wu sets up another meditation session.

"You gotta admit, we've _really_ been kicking butt this weekend!"

Silence broken—Jay sits right back up in his sleeping bag, boundless with his energy even after the taxing day. He grins up at the sky, admiring the stars above. "Three Golden Weapons in three days ain't half bad!"

"I know—despite everything, we really took care of business," Cole adds with pride. Zane, too, rises from where he lays and beams a little brighter.

"While we did face some unprecedented challenges, we were overall very successful in our endeavors."

To hear them speak so highly of their adventures is also the first Wu has heard of them. Intrigued, he tilts his head, inclined to hear more.

"…I suppose I haven't yet had the chance to ask for the finer details of your exploits."

Cole wastes no time in jumping to his feet, already waving his hands about trying to figure out where to start.

“It was _unreal,_ Sensei! Like, for example, in the caves we had noooo idea where to go at first because of all the different tunnels. But then Jay had this crazy idea about wavelengths or something and I got to tap into my Earth powers…!”

And the next hour goes just like that: Cole shares stories of his budding leadership, Zane modestly explains how he managed to solve several puzzling issues, and Jay tells tales of his instances of ingenuity. They also have no shortage of praise to share with one another. Seeing their growing teamwork fills Wu with a sense of pride.

Yet, the more the boys try to fill Wu in on what he missed, the more he comes to realize that some of Kai's previous spark from the night starts to dim. Very little of their stories do much to mention what he contributed.

Wu notes, somewhat solemnly, that Kai himself has nothing significant to add.

The mirth from earlier slips away as Kai stares straight into the fire, eyes empty save for the sparks of light reflected in them. Unlike the fire before him, Kai shrinks and dulls under the bright sparks that are his teammates. Wu frowns.

Eventually Jay talks himself right to sleep; Cole fights to stay awake a little longer, but a few words from Zane have him crawling into his makeshift dirt bed. Zane puts the fire out and bids Wu a goodnight. They settle into slumber with little fanfare, and for the first time that night, the forest is silent.

* * *

Kai's eyes shoot open; he must have drifted off after all, even after doing his best to stay vigilant. He counts himself lucky that he didn't slump forward onto the smoldering embers before him. By now though, they've all flickered out harmlessly, and the only movement around is Jay scratching his leg.

It's later, and quiet, but there’s whispers on the wind—Kai glances around the camp, finding Wu nowhere in sight and Cole having slipped out of his nest of dirt. So much for him being a light sleeper; Kai hadn’t even picked up on the departure.

Still, it’s strange that they’re both MIA, unless they used the buddy system for a bathroom break. But it can’t hurt to check things out. The last thing they need is _another_ kidnapping…

The whispers get less dissonant the deeper he dives through the woods, using the murmurings as his guide forward. He can very clearly hear Wu trying to elaborate something, but that doesn't explain why he and Cole have to be in the middle of the woods to do so. He creeps closer and strains to hear them better.

"—all the time, so that's why I wanted to check up on things," Wu finishes. He is illuminated not by another fire, but the glow of his own abilities. Kai shimmies behind a tree and hopes that Wu's brilliant light doesn't shine in his direction. Cole, meanwhile, rubs at his eyes and tries not to be confused.

"I mean, things are fine—we've gotten most of the weapons already, right? And the Guardians have accepted all of us…well, so far." Cole blinks again, still very much preferring sleeping over this impromptu interrogation. "Why'd you wanna ask _me_ , anyway?"

"Jay, I'm afraid, has a tendency to either sugarcoat or embellish things. Zane, while blunt and certainly direct, can also let a few of the finer details slip through the cracks…that is why I have come to you, for your perspective falls within the in between."

Wu tilts his head.

"Besides, you are the leader, are you not?"

Cole glances away, even as the words force him to sit straighter, acknowledging their truth. He takes a deep breath and exhales steadily.

“…like I said before—we’re solid! Jay and Zane always have off-hand knowledge about the smallest things, which has proven to help out a lot. Zane’s great at coming up with quick solutions to issues, while Jay is amazing at looking at the bigger picture and planning for the long term. But both of them are experts are working their way out of problems placed in front of them.”

Wu nods—all good things to hear, surely. Kai rolls his eyes, even if he _does_ agree.

“What about yourself?” Wu asks, encouraging for more.

“…I could've been better.” Cole stares at the ground, fisting his hands against his lap. “I could’ve prevented the caverns from caving in, or been more encouraging when we were crossing that gap in the fortress, or helped get us back on track instead of goofing off in the ruins…”

Well, that’s news to Kai—Cole never once tipped him off about feeling remorse over _anything._ Yet worse than that—and this is the thing that makes Kai’s stomach churn—is that those were all incidents _he'd_ caused, directly or indirectly. They were weighing on Cole too, only in a different way…

“The blame for these unforeseen instances is not your blame alone,” Wu points out.

“I _know_ , but how can I not feel responsible when things could’ve changed had I taken a better action?”

“It is always easier to see the path we’ve already left footprints on, than the one we’ve yet to walk.” Cole grimaces at the wisdom; Wu strokes his beard.“And despite the shenanigans, you still managed to retrieve the weapons.”

“Again, that was mainly Jay and Zane—!”

“And what about _Kai_?”

That sends Cole into silence, but it’s obvious that’s really what Wu wanted to know. Kai tenses in his hiding spot, peeking a bit more between the branches. Terror at what Cole might say makes him want to run, but morbid curiosity wins out and keeps him rooted to the spot.

“…he’s got potential.”

That’s not really what Kai was expecting. Wu raises an eyebrow, and Cole continues.

“He was the one that came up with the idea for following the scythe, and his impulsivity actually helped out in a few spots at the fortress…” Cole smiles now. “And he’s surprisingly good at raising morale when we need it most. I could learn from him on that front.”

Cole’s gaze drops; Kai’s stomach follows.

“…but the real problem is how adverse he is to being in a team. It’s so weird—it’s like he’s trying to do as much as he can by himself while also trying to please us? But all it really does it cause some needless conflicts. It’s like watching someone climb a cliff side when there’s a perfectly good set of stairs right there.”

Kai scowls—sometimes the world forces you to climb the cliff instead, you know. The stairs just serve as a reminder of temptation you can’t have.

“We can’t make him accept help, but if he’s going to be part of the team, that’s probably the biggest thing he needs to work on…The reason we even _have_ a team in the first place is to cover each other’s shortcomings. He…is not good at that yet.”

From there, truth after truth is laid bare by Cole, and as much Kai is shamed by the facts, there’s no denying them. It’s not as if he himself hasn’t been mulling over the same things. It's easy to pretend that hearing it doesn't hurt. It's harder to figure out what he's supposed to _do_ about it.

Kai watches as Wu sits and listens, stone-faced and betraying nothing about how he feels. It's only when Cole finishes does Wu move again.

"It seems…that I may have been premature in my assumptions."

Cole's just confused, but fear runs through Kai like his very own blood. Was Wu taking back what he said about Kai being special? Was he incorrect in believing that Kai was ready for this mission…? Kai doesn't want to think about what that would mean.

"I haven't told the others yet, but I find your lack of opposition in the Ice Fortress and Floating Ruins concerning. I fear that…us gathering the weapons may be precisely what Garmadon wants to happen."

Oh, that's—not anything related to Kai. Thank goodness. Cole's confusion deepens however, and Wu sighs.

"Garmadon may have planned everything—the kidnapping of Nya, us gaining the map, right up to me asking Kai for his assistance, hence why I wanted to know how he was doing…all of this drifts into Garmadon's favor, should this be actually what happened."

"…He doesn't want the Four Weapons?" Cole asks. Wu shakes his head.

"No, that is most definitely his ultimate goal. But for him to achieve that …first, they merely just need to be in one place."

"Becaaaause...that's how he plans to create a way out of the Underworld?” Cole tries again. And this time, Wu does not correct him.

The realization sits unsettlingly in the air.

"Garmadon cannot even wield one of the weapons while he is trapped in the Underworld, but were he to break free _first_ …this would lead to great complications."

"All Garmadon would need is for his cronies to gather the weapons and open the portal from the other side, which I guess would be our side." Cole bites his lip as each horrifying piece falls into place. "And we…we just made it _really_ easy for them to do that."

Sensing the worry that plagues Cole, Wu places a hand on his shoulder.

"Fret not. These are only my speculations, and I may be giving Garmadon more credit than he deserves. But…it would still be in our best interest to tread with the utmost caution. So, for the time being…it might be best if we didn't seek out the Sword of Fire right away. Keeping three of the weapons away from the last is already plenty enough for now. And, Garmadon will not be able to make his escape."

Kai tears himself away, unable to hear anymore. Not of what Cole might say next, not of any justification Wu has to say about it—nothing. He's heard enough.

And he knows what he has to do next.

* * *

Nya wakes up in the middle of the night, bleary-eyed and weak. There’s shuffling on the other side of the chamber, somewhere in the shadows, hidden from her sight. She’s been in this chamber for a week already, but there’s no getting used to how creepy everything is.

After giving up the location of the Fire Temple, the crooks treated her less like a prisoner and more like a hostage at a sleepover. Food and drink became more frequent, but just the same…she hadn't seen any sign of General #2 since.

There's been no word of how far along the Skeletons or the Sharks have gotten with collecting the Golden Weapons. Sure, no news is good news…but the longer they don't have the weapons, the longer she fears she'll be left without a reason for them to let her go.

 _And_ there's some kind of a leak in the ceiling—insignificant in its existence but annoying in how persistently it drips _drips **drips**_ from above. It's been serving as a backdrop metronome for the past week; the way it drives her nuts outdoes any torture Garmadon might whip up.

"Agonizing, isn't it?"

Nya stills, heart skipping a beat with the realization that's she's not alone in here. She didn't see anyone come in the door, nor is there any secret entrances—she knows, she checked—and yet there sits a man the color of the shadows themselves, only noticeable by the red of his eyes and the bright, sinister gleam of his grin.

He meditates, turning her way when he finds he has the attention of his definitely captive audience.

"Garmadon," Nya whispers, both terrified…and a little bit awestruck. It’s not every day a supposedly ancient evil warlord graces you with his presence.

"The water in this realm does not beget life like that of Ninjago," says Garmadon, gaze focused on the constant dripping. "It is nothing more than a mockery. It either rests motionless in basins or falls from on high without fully understanding why. Water was meant to change, and adapt, and flow freely…so can it truly be called water if it only ever goes in one direction, or goes nowhere at all?"

Nya goes silent—she doesn't exactly _agree_ with the thought, but it's hard for her not to see his point.

Although, it is a really weird way of making a first impression.

"…why are you telling me these things?" Nya asks. Garmadon shrugs, though his grin is nothing if not mischievous.

"Oh, I simply assumed you'd be inclined for a pinch of philosophical contemplation. Your mother was the same way; as was Aurora, now that I think about it.”

"…you knew my _mother?"_ Nya wants to punch herself for the way her voice cracks. Of course, finally some potential answers about her family, and it's gotta come from the embodiment of all evil. "You know…me?"

Garmadon's gaze shifts to stare at the wall.

"No, I don't know you—I was most likely banished around the time you were born, if not shortly after. …but you definitely have Maya's hair, eyes, and resilience. And not many could survive being trapped in one of the worst parallel realms for a Ninjagian week."

Figures—this may be the first time during this whole horrible ordeal that Nya just might cry.

“If…you’re going to torture me or kill me or… _whatever_ , then stop being a coward and do it already! Stop wasting your time toying with me!"

Garmadon actually has the nerve to look confused, folding his arms and tilting his head. It almost makes Nya angrier.

"Waste my time…? Child, I've been trapped down here for nearly fourteen years now. I have nothing but time to waste! And I might as well waste it by finding ways to get out of here…or keeping myself entertained."

Garmadon leans forward, red eyes gleaming in the dark. Nya sets her jaw, refusing to let it tremble.

“Don’t misunderstand me, though—it would just be a waste to kill you when there's still just…so much you could offer."

Nya narrows her gaze. "…what do you mean?"

Garmadon stands at last—and, somehow, his whole presence seems to fill the room. Maybe it's his personality, maybe it's the way he seems to have command over all the shadows, but either way, Nya feels tiny in comparison.

"Did you _really_ think that my brother happened upon your house by pure coincidence? No, no, no—I sent my armies out, made some mayhem, made some preparations, made him paranoid…made Wu finally force his hand…"

Garmadon throws his head back in a cackle, rows of pointed teeth making themselves known.

"I made him think I had _any_ sort of idea of where the Golden Weapons were, and then that simple fool led me not just to their map, not only to their locations, but he went to all the trouble of grouping them into one place for me…!"

"…so the reason you let them gather the weapons uncontested was just to get them all in one place without doing any of the work yourself, since you couldn't…or trusting the Skeletons to do it.”

Nya feels her stomach lurch as the pieces all click into place. Garmadon applauds.

"Yes, smart girl! And, knowing how my brother is, by now he's probably caught onto how _easy_ collecting the weapons has been, so he'll want to change tactics. No weapons means no freedom for me, but that _also_ means no freedom for _you_. Which will, undoubtably, tick off _your_ brother, who unfortunately cares more about you than the fate of Ninjago.”

Nya opens her mouth to protest, but winces upon realizing she cannot.

"Yeah, that sounds like Kai…but, then, that's the real reason you kidnapped _me_ , isn't it? Trying to get the locations from me was a decoy; you just wanted to give Kai both motivation and a reason to eventually go against Wu?"

Garmadon takes a bow. "Guilty as charged."

If Nya ever gets out of here, she's throwing herself off a cliff. Or a building. Or maybe just flop dramatically onto her bed.

"…you really had this planned out from the start, didn't you?"

"I told you I've got a lot of free time down here." Garmadon admires his hand. "…but it doesn't have to remain this way. You could always devote yourself to my cause and be here of your own free will?"

Nya chokes on air. "And _why_ would I ever even dream of doing that?!"

Garmadon's face goes blank, arms folded behind his back as he steps carefully in front of her.

"Well, think about it. When Wu showed upon your doorstep, _you_ certainly hadn't been the one he'd been scouting out. No—your brother's the one that inherited one of the Four Core Elements. And this whole time, Wu's been more dedicated to cleaning up a mess he made than ensuring that you were safe, and dragging in others who weren't involved at all to help him do it. And moreover, he’d be willing to sacrifice your well-being _just_ to keep his own brother trapped in hell.”

Garmadon rests his chin on his hand, tilting his head.

"Now, why would you want to side with someone who only considers you an _afterthought_ , unlike myself, who can see you for your true potential?"

That—hurts, admittedly, even if it is about a person she's barely met and therefore shouldn't care much about. But, if this is someone that Kai had turned to when she was taken—

It…it's already been a week since she'd been taken, hadn't it? There's no way Kai would have waited that long if he could help it. He might've died in the process, but he wouldn't have _waited_.

Kai wouldn't have waited _willingly._

And, well, Garmadon doesn’t seem like he’s lying—although it wouldn’t surprise Nya if he was good at it. Still, his words ring with a pang of brutal honesty, even if not all of them can be trusted. Perhaps he could still be right.

"…kidnapping someone is a pretty poor way to convince them to join you."

But for now, she trusts her brother more than she believes Garmadon.

Garmadon shrugs, as if expecting as much, but refuses to look disappointed. The fact he still has any kind of hope only makes Nya dread.

"Well, the offer's always going to be on the table. And once you see how Wu is, you'll probably come crawling back to me anyway…"

Nya wants to say what she _really_ thinks of that notion, but she's distracted by a loud commotion in the hall. The eerie glow of the light beyond the door is full of silhouettes of the Shark Army. Omar leads them all in their urgency, entering the chamber first and taking a knee. Garmadon ceases his banter with the teenager before him and greets the newcomers with a raised eyebrow.

“My lord, we’ve picked up activity at the Fire Temple,” Omar announces. “One of the ninja is traveling there alone. And it's the red one, just as you anticipated."

“Ninja…?” Nya asks, but Garmadon interrupts her thought with a deep chuckle.

"Excellent, right on schedule. Fetch General #2 and deploy the Skulkin of the retrieval squadron. The time to strike back is at hand…and perhaps Wu was right for once; patience has its virtues, mwahahaha…."

The chains holding Nya down are unlocked from the floor, but remain bound to her wrists and ankles. Two members of the Shark Army hold the loose ends of the chains, pulling them just enough to force Nya into a standing position, even if it is on shaky legs.

Garmadon paces in front of her, only half-way repentant.

"Well as long as you don't agree to join my side, you'll have to be treated as a prisoner—nothing for it, I'm afraid." He leans forward again, frowning. "But for now, you can take _some_ solace in the fact that at least _your_ brother actually loves you."

Nya thrashes, even as the chains dig deeper into her skin. "Hey now, wait a minute—!"

Krazi emerges from seemingly nowhere to tape Nya's mouth closed, giggling manically all the while. She silently hisses in protest before being dragged out of the room, only able to watch Garmadon shrug in her direction.

"…No hard feelings, right?"


	12. The Lion, the Snitch, and the Volcano

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of decisions made in anger lead to a shift in advantage for the bad guys...

Leaving the team…hadn't exactly been outside of Kai's mind, especially when this arrangement wasn't even supposed to be permanent, but he hasn't really given it _serious_ thought. Until right now, that is.

A small, secluded part of him had hoped everything would just _work out_. Maybe he could still make something of himself rather than fruitlessly trying to build off of what little his father left for him. Maybe he could be something more, something that mattered, something that made a real difference in the world. Maybe just like Nya could.

It’s funny, really—when he started all this ninja business, it was a means to an end, a way to get back Nya with as few complications as possible. And sure, hiking across all of Ninjago probably counted as a complication, but…progress had been made. And, despite the ups and downs, it had been _fun_. It scares him how much he loves it. And it being something he was _destined_ to do? Well, at least that meant he had a promising future doing _something._

He never took himself for the adventurous type. Years had been spent at home hunched over an anvil and furnace, and he'd never considered what life could be beyond that, because other options _weren't_ an option. But now, after having just a taste…it would be really, _really_ hard to cut it out of his life. Being shown the whole world after living in just a corner of it has life changing consequences.

But, what, he's supposed to just abandon Nya to go frolic across the land as a ninja for the rest of his life? Yeah _right_.

It’s not like he’s even good at being a ninja anyway—the only prevalent stories he has to share are of how he’d made a mess of every mission. Putting everyone in danger, holding back Cole, leaving behind Jay, nearly getting himself killed, distracting everyone, making Zane worry way more than he should…

He doesn't have the same motivations as the others, he keeps making mistakes and instigating trouble, the Guardian Beasts certainly don't approve of him, and…well, maybe the others would just be better off without him. Even if he has the "Fire" that doesn't mean he's able to do anything _good_ with it.

The thoughts make Kai's stomach churn.

A mere week ago, he had simply been a hard-working, poor blacksmith. There was only one other person in the personal bubble he called his reality, and she did well in school, worked hard for what she liked, and did absolutely nothing to warrant being kidnapped, save for perhaps an insatiable inquisitive streak. All Kai ever had to do was make sure that spark of hers never went out. And at the time, _that_ had been the hardest thing he ever had to do. 

…But now, he's rowing across the ocean in a once abandoned dingy boat in the middle of the night towards a volcanic island in an attempt to save that one person while trying really, _really_ hard not to cry, a poor decision made in angry haste. Amazing how life can change so quickly.

He sniffles again, blames it on the sea water, and rows harder.

Two things have been made very clear tonight: Nya shouldn’t be made to wait any longer, and he’s never going to _really_ be part of this team, no matter how badly he wants it.

They _can't_ put off getting the last weapon—if they don't collect the Sword of Fire, they can't rescue Nya from the Underworld. And, yeah, okay, the idea of releasing an "ancient" evil warlord unto Ninjago isn't the most appealing potential consequence, but neither is leaving Nya to rot any longer. Can't they just gather the weapons, get Nya out, and disperse the weapons once more?

He _can't_ agree with Wu on this one. Learning Spinjitzu, learning ways to defend himself, and traveling across the land are things he could eventually come to understand. But putting off Nya any longer is where he has to put his foot down. And if remaining a ninja means being forced to do just that, then…well, this ninja quits.

Zane, Cole, and Jay don't need him anyway—they could've navigated the caves or crossed the icy waters or made it through the lightning ruins without any interference from him. All he did was hold them back, get in the way, and waste their time.

He’s been a bad ninja, a bad friend, and worst of all, a bad brother. And maybe…once all this is over, it’ll be better for everyone if things just quietly go back to normal. Maybe he really did get too in over his head.

Just one more mission, one he hopefully won't mess up this time, and maybe he can pretend this all never even happened.

* * *

The Fire Temple grounds reach from the edge of the island all the way into the volcano's core. Since it’s a relatively tiny island, it pales in comparison to the size of the Ice Fortress and the Floating Ruins. And while it doesn't quite reach the 'imposing' factor that the Caves of Despair had, there's an air of something almost worse surrounding the worshipping grounds of flame.

Intimidation.

The streaks of lava running down the volcano's edge glow against the backdrop of the night, and Kai finds it beautiful. Whoever built the outside of the temple must have had an eye for exterior detail, because if it wasn’t so imposing it would be a _magnificent_ tourist spot.

He races under the rising red arches and across the molten-made bridge, caring little for the river of lava that runs below his feet. This temple is in _his_ element—this time, he's got the advantage. This time…things are finally going to go his way, just when it matters most.

The plan is simple: beat the puzzles, grab the sword, single-handedly tame a lion, use the weapons to open a way to the Underworld, save Nya, ditch weapons. Easy.

He approaches the front doors and finds them unlocked. Kai pushes them open with a deep creak echoing through the chamber…and right there, smack in the center of the entryway sits the Sword of Fire.

Sure, there's a space towards the back that leads to the deeper, more volcanic parts of the temple. But there's no confusing winding paths, no room after room of challenging puzzles, no fending off the elements in attempt to achieve the prize in the distance…

There's nothing to overcome here, nothing to prove…nothing to let Kai show he was worthy of even _being_ here in the first place, if anyone could just walk in and behold it.

It's a _little_ bit insulting.

Kai spent a whole weekend risking his life, and what did that all accumulate up to? Simply walking through a front door?! He knows there's still the last Guardian to contend with, but geez, if this is the only roadblock Wu set up for the sword, then they could’ve just grabbed this one first!

In fact, Kai is all set to waltz right up there, grab it, and end this whole debacle when a shadow suddenly moves along the walls of room. A chill follows in behind, despite the fact the room's built within a volcano.

So, he’s not alone after all. Perhaps this will be more interesting than he thought.

It's probably just the skeletons, lying in wait to strike after their days of absence. It might be more members of the Shark Army—could be that Garmadon wanted stronger manpower at the site of the last weapon. It might be the Crazy Commander, whom…Kai is not equipped to deal with right now.

The very last thing he expects is for Nya to step out from behind the sword, looking just the way she had the last time he saw her. She smiles at him, eyes all bright.

Something cracks within him, reflected in the way his voice breaks when he says her name.

"Kaaaai," Nya says back, beaming and waving and Kai's a little too blinded by unshed tears to really notice the way her shadow moves on its own. She holds out her hands, as if beckoning him towards her. Without even thinking he's already taken a step forward.

"Hurry, Kai. Take the sword—we have to go!" Nya beckons again, her voice soft and whispery. After a week of not hearing it, the sudden snap of normalcy returning is like that of a siren beckoning to him. He’d do anything for the temptation of being able to bring Nya home; even taking a stupid sword he wants nothing to do with anymore.

But that's also what makes him stop dead in his tracks; Nya's _never_ been soft or whispery.

Nya, still smiling, only blinks when Kai halts his approach. A sick sensation settles in his stomach.

"…you're…not her, are you?"

”…I see,” ‘Nya’ says with disappointment. Kai feels ill. “You’re more intuitive than you look; I suppose that just means we have to do this the hard way.”

“Enough of your games!” Kai yells. “Where is my sister?!”

"Don't **worry**." 'Nya's' soothing voice sizzles into something sinister, her form going dark and growing to unprecedented size. "…I’m right **HERE** , brother…!"

"YAAAAAAH!"

The fake Nya dissolves into shadows, smoke, and simpering; the real Nya falls from the ceiling, dangling above the lava by a single thick chain. This time, Kai's heart seizes in his chest.

"NYA—!"

The entirety of the shadow illusion grows until it reaches the ceiling, nearly encompassing the whole room. Red eyes peek out from the expanse of black, and between all the smoke and mirrors Kai can see the semblance of a monster and hear the low chuckles of an undoubtedly evil warlord.

A man seemingly stricken from history has manifested before him.

"…Garmadon," Kai hisses, instinctually reaching for his katanas.

Except, in his hurry and his anger, he realizes he never even grabbed them.

"Forgotten something?" Garmadon taunts, red eyes bright with mirth. He speaks with a voice that could haunt Kai’s nightmares; Kai gulps and steps back.

"Y-You can't hurt me here! You're banished! You're trapped in the Underworld!" Kai exclaims, burying his fears under what are hopefully assurances.

"I am indeed trapped in the Underworld. And THAT is why…you're going to remove the Sword of Fire for me," Garmadon declares.

"Why would I do that?! I don't care about the stupid sword, I just want my sister back! And you've done me the favor of bringing her here for me!"

"Ah, how convenient then! You're able to retrieve something I want—"

The chain holding Nya hostage starts to lower, Nya diving straight towards the lava below.

"…and I have what _you_ want."

"NYA!!!"

Nya’s chain brakes to a halt with a jerk, Kai freezing with uncertainty. He shakes it off and breaks into a sprint, but the moment he does Nya's chain plunges once more. He brakes again, and so does the chain. Garmadon chuckles to himself, his shadowy form pacing along the wall.

“Only those trained in the way of Spinjitzu can successfully remove the Golden Weapons from the eyes of the Guardians—hence why Wu was so keen on making sure you had your lessons perfect before setting out on your cute little quest. All the better that it was you four specifically, inheritors of the Four Core Elements… Sending out my armies was merely an incentive to push my brother to move faster, mwahahaha.”

Kai narrows his eyes. “But…you must know Spinjitzu too. So then why—"

“Well as you so _brightly_ pointed out not even a minute ago, I’m trapped in the Underworld. How am I to grab something that persists in another realm than I?”

“That’s not my problem! I’m _not_ going to do it!”

Garmadon shrugs. "If you don't remove the sword, how _else_ will you cut the chains to save your precious little sister?"

Kai falters, eyes darting towards Nya.

"You KNOW it's a trap!" Nya grunts as she struggles against her restraints, not appreciating being treated like a yo-yo. "I can…free my…self…! …okay it's a _little_ tight—!"

"Tick tock," is all the warning Garmadon gives before the chain lowers one final time, showing no signs of stopping. Nya's screams stretch all throughout the temple, and Kai-can't-let-her-go- _again_ —!

_"I said I'd do whatever it takes…and I meant that."_

Kai doesn't think, he just moves—everything except Nya and the Sword of Fire becomes a blur. One moment, he's running, and the next he's in the air, sword yanked from its resting place and cosmic golden power in his hand.

"Ninjaaaaaaa-GO!"

Nya balks as Kai bursts into flames, shooting up the side of the wall and ricocheting towards the chain. Kai spins around, sinking the sword into the chains like a hot knife through butter, and catches Nya as she untangles from captivity. He barely has enough momentum left to throw them both back to safety, hitting the ground hard and tumbling against a rock.

It's a rough landing, Kai thinks with Nya heaped on top of him, but it's a _safe_ landing.

"Kai—!" Nya squeals, more than ready for a sibling reunion, but Kai stands back up on the defensive. They're not out of the woods yet—or this volcano.

"Stay close," he commands, guiding them around the edge of the lava pool. Nya scoots even closer to him to the point that she's almost climbing his back.

"I'm not going anywhere!" she cries. Huh, perhaps she'll finally listen to him for once.

Garmadon's low chuckling echoes through the chamber; Kai keeps a tight eye on every dark corner and every shadow in the nooks and crannies. He doesn't really think Garmadon could do anything to them, as he'd said before…but if Garmadon had planned things up to this point, what else was up his sleeve?

"You can't hurt us!” Kai declares again, if only for Nya's sake. Maybe a little for himself too. “You're only a shadow!"

"Maybe so…but unlike you, Fire Ninja, I know when I require…a little outside assistance."

Kai and Nya are halfway to the exit of the temple when a sharp crackling sound rips from the middle of the room. They both turn to witness a magenta portal claw itself into existence, and a girl in navy blue with a skull mask comes rolling out. She lands in a kneeling position, but wastes no time springing back up on one foot, a sword of her own perched in her grip.

"Surpriiiiiiise!" sings General #2 with unhinged glee, twirling in front of Kai and blocking off his escape. "Did you, like, _really_ think Lord Garmadon was going to just have you take the sword and walk away? I mean, _someone_ had to come pick up the merchandise once you set it free…"

"You…!" Kai raises the Sword of Fire; despite its size, it doesn't feel heavy. He tilts it carefully in the General's direction—it's been a while since he's only relied on a single sword.

"I told you we would meet again!" the General trills, tilting her head. "Oh, but where are all your little loser friends? Did they decide you weren't worth the trouble after all?!"

Kai refuses to dignify that with a response. "Stay back, Nya…"

Nya groans and throws up her hands. "Stay back, stay close, _make up your mind!_ This is exactly what happened last time—haven't you learned _anything_ in the last week?! You can't have it both ways!"

Kai doesn't want to go into that either—not when the Crazy Commander herself is back in his face with the desire to cut it right off.

"Ah, well, we kinda don't need your sister anymore anyway, now that Wu’s gathered the rest of the weapons, so you can go ahead and take her…in exchange for handing over the Sword.” The General taps her foot. “And if I were you, I’d make that choice quickly, since my dad and his cronies are going after the other weapons as we speak.”

“What?!” Kai’s mouth goes dry; the others are in danger now?! No, that has to be a bluff…but if Garmadon really anticipated his arrival here, then—

No, the others are fine. They can fight the army at their full strength without having to pick up Kai’s slack. Wu is there too; he’s got nothing to worry about other than Nya.

But he’s not going to let this chance for burning revenge slip from his fingers.

Kai charges at the General—the reactor around her wrist lights up, and she disappears just as Kai swings downwards. She pops up behind him and kicks him into the wall, cackling all the while.

Kai finds his footing again. He whips the sword around and blocks an attack from behind; the volcano begins to shake, and he prays it’s not about to blow on top of everything else. Garmadon continues lurking along the shadows and laughing like this is the best entertainment he’s seen in ages. Nya—very reluctantly—takes cover behind a rock, too weakened from captivity to jump into battle herself.

The only advantage Kai has is Spinjitzu, which at least allows him to move quick enough to catch the General before she ‘teleports’. He doesn’t have Cole’s strength, or Zane’s defensive maneuvers, or Jay’s speed and evasiveness, but his agility allows him to have _some_ of all that in equal measures. And right now, that’s more than enough.

There’s force behind his blows, each strike an attempt to disarm his opponent. She parries all the blows but he knocks her back with a kick, returning the favor from earlier. She wails and starts opening and running through portals left and right; Kai’s barely got enough coordination and perception to weave around her rushing attacks. He finally times it right and manages to tackle her just after she passes through, rolling them both to the ground.

They tussle, obviously, and at first she’s more concerned about getting the sword than actually doing any damage to him. She grabs at his gi and tries to drag him out of the way, but Kai rolls the both of them so his back lands on top of the sword. Uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous, but it stops her from getting a grip on it.

And it’s then that her expression changes to one that’s out for blood. Her aim is no longer the sword; it's suddenly his neck.

Kai sweats as her shortsword lowers towards his very exposed throat. His arms flinch instinctively to cover, but they’re preoccupied trying to hold _her_ arms at bay. One little slip and that blade will _plunge_.

Even behind the mask, the General’s face is twisted with a grim rage, sweat rolling down her neck due to the rising heat. She inches her weapon closer and closer by the centimeter; Kai strains against her force. Why is she so strong?!

“You should’ve ran when you had the chance, Firecracker,” she hisses, the tip of her weapon pricking against Kai’s skin.

Her words hang heavy in the air; for Kai, it’s from the threat on his life. For Nya, it’s from the unsettling sense of realization that sweeps over her. That voice of the General’s has always felt so familiar, like something she could have trusted. Even during the worst moments of her capture, she’s always had the feeling there was more to the General than met the eye.

But now, Nya sees it all too clearly, hears it all too clearly in the familiar nicknames, and almost wishes she hadn’t.

"…Olivia?" she whispers, voice breaking with the word. General #2 is only a centimeter away from potentially cutting Kai's neck in half, but both she and Kai are struck motionless by the callout. The lack of immediate response says everything.

"… _no_ ," Kai says, blood running cold as the connections are made. The General remains where she is, deciding whether or not to finish her strike. Kai uses the hesitation to grab the skull mask with shaking hands, ripping it off and flinging it into the lava behind him.

Horror washes over Nya as she watches the General rise away from Kai, grinning wistfully in her direction with the face of her best friend. The same gentle makeup, the same navy blue eyes, the same undercut hairstyle flopping into her face…

"…hey there, Wavemaker."

The truth of it all could kill her.

" _No!"_ Nya echoes Kai, tears bursting forth from nowhere and falling down her face. She can’t form words, but Kai’s got no shortage of things to say. The ninja’s back on his feet with renewed vigor and takes a swing—for once, the punch connects full-force, although Olivia takes it without flinching.

“How could you…? How _could_ you?!” He yowls. The rest of the anger-fueled punches fail to land, Olivia’s brief defenseless come and gone. She blocks his attacks, yet makes none of her own. “You kidnapped your best friend, tortured her just for info, and for what—?!”

“It wasn’t about Nya!” Olivia barks, bringing her foot up into Kai’s stomach. It doesn’t knock him away like it had before, but it’s enough to put distance between them. She snarls, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“It wasn’t about Nya,” Olivia repeats. ”I told you before—she got kidnapped because of a stupid mistake of mine; I know it’s my fault! I _know!”_

"But you're literally working for Garmadon—what possessed you to even do that?!"

Olivia moves to answer, but the volcano shakes again, much more violently than before. Nya struggles to stand from where she leans again her rock. Garmadon howls from his place along the wall, anger just as boiling as the lava below.

"Grrrrh, enough of this blather already! Get the sword!" he howls. Olivia and Kai snap out of their debate; their heads whip towards the sword, left discarded on the ledge after the revelation. Olivia shoves Kai out of the way and makes a break for it, but just as she reaches for it an invisible force knocks her away.

"Okay, what the—?!"

She's silenced again as something smacks into her arm, forcing her to back away even more. Kai squints, confused, but finds that a new shadow lines the wall. This one wields a staff in one hand and picks up the Sword of Fire in the other. Kai fears a Skulkin must have arrived to snatch it instead, but from a certain angle it almost looks like—

"Sensei Wu?!”

Wu continues to use this shadow-boxing technique of his to hold off Olivia. Upon approach, a burst of Spinjitzu sends her flying across the room. She hits the wall—her head snaps back up with a snarl. She leaps into one of her portals and comes out behind Wu, but Wu ducks under her kick, stabbing upwards with his staff and upsetting her momentum once again.

With Olivia out of the way for the moment, Wu turns his stance unto Garmadon's shadow, who sarcastically applauds with a lopsided grin.

"Ah, Brother—just the man I wanted to see," Garmadon hums. "You just couldn't resist making sure Ray's boy stays safe, huh? Don't you trust him to handle himself? Or has he just made one mistake too many? You would know, wouldn't you?”

"He has spent years handling himself, and his sister—something I respect endlessly," Wu says. "What I do not trust is his ability to know when he's taken on too much on his own, and _your_ ability to manipulate others into doing your bidding!"

"Manipulate is _such_ a dirty word…I prefer persuade? And beside, at least half of my army supports me by their own desire, including my dear General Number Two over there."

Nya’s head snaps towards where Olivia picks herself up off the ground, too disoriented to confirm or deny the claim. Garmadon laughs again, just as Wu turns his attention back to Kai. Kai immediately recognizes the less-than-impressed stare.

"Okay, _listen_ , I know this looks bad, but I had to make sure we could save Nya—!"

"And you fell right into Garmadon's trap! This is exactly what I told you from day one: as long as they don't have the weapons, they will have need of your sister. And baiting you into pulling the sword is definitely one of those needs."

"There's no way you could've known that! And besides, if I hadn't done anything, Nya would still be stuck in the Underworld's clutches one way or another! How long were you going to let her wait for rescue just because of a hunch you had?!"

Wu stiffens. "So you really were eavesdropping…"

"That's not important! You _told_ me that learning Spinjitzu and gathering the weapons would help me get my sister back, and then you just decide to _not_ do that?! Just waste my time, let me suffer and struggle for _nothing_ only to leave what remains of my family behind?!" 

Wu wilts, shaking his head. "Kai, that wasn't my intention but the circumstances shifted and—"

"You _promised_ ," Kai huffs, gritting his teeth. "You promised."

Wu goes silent. Olivia whistles awkwardly, Nya only looks on with great concern, and Kai clicks his tongue before turning away. 

"...How'd you even manage to follow me anyway?"

"You weren't very subtle in your departure. It's a miracle none of the other ninja heard you stomping away."

Kai growls and fists his hands at his sides. As he does, he senses Garmadon slither along the wall behind him. He can feel the tendrils of the shadows creeping over his shoulders. Fury freezes into terror and terror paralyzes him to the spot.

"Brother…don't be so _hard_ on the poor boy…after all, he did a huge favor for me…unleashing the last key to my eventual escape…"

Wu turns the Sword of Fire unto Garmadon, eyes narrowing. "You keep your hands off of him. As long as the sword is in my possession, your plans will never come to fruition!"

Garmadon wears a lopsided frown, tightening his hold on Kai. "I see you'll protect one, but what of the other three?"

"Other three? Does he mean the weapons?" asks Nya, while dread floods through Kai at the _real_ implication of the words. Not just the weapons were left behind at the camp…

"They are safe! Far from your grasp, Garmadon!" declares Wu.

" _My_ grasp? Perhaps. But I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."

As if on cue, the volcano shakes once again, and this time the whole place threatens to come down. The already limited ground cracks under the tantrum of the lava, with Nya nearly stumbling right into it. Olivia grabs her arm and keeps her from falling. Once Nya regains her footing, Olivia jumps back and circles around the room, heading for the front. Garmadon, meanwhile, basks in the chaos and lets his laugh echo off the walls, arms spread out to welcome more mayhem.

"Awaken, Guardian of the Flame! They're taking the sword!"

A thunderous roar deafens all within earshot, and out of the back cavern comes the charge of the largest (and only) lion Kai's ever seen, magnificent in its stature and size. The ends of its mane and tail are licked by flames, reflecting off of golden fur and glinting teeth. It sets its sights on the sword and pulls a snarl in Wu and Kai's direction.

"Vulcanell…" Wu sighs, just as Nya scurries over behind Kai once again. "…the Golden Lion."

"…can I call him Vulcan for short?" Kai asks. Vulcanell apparently disapproves of that, roaring hard enough to nearly cause an eruption. Kai now knows why no traps were needed to protect this weapon. The lava churns like waves in the ocean, and the ground beneath their feet begins to crack and break apart. Garmadon shoves Kai forward towards the lava, Wu and Nya jump to catch him, and the action causes the crumbling ground beneath them to drift off and maroon them in the lake of lava.

In an instant, Kai, Nya, and Wu find themselves on an island amidst fire, Vulcanell at their back, Garmadon above them, and Olivia at the entrance.

"…there's no way out!" Kai exclaims, suddenly gripped by hopelessness. "He's taken away all our options…!"

Wu remains resolute, his grip on staff and sword tightening.

"So, then—we create our own."

Kai and Nya glance at him with disbelief, but Wu never looks anywhere else but forward.

"My brother intends to keep the sword here until his forces can bring the other weapons. But if I take the Sword of Fire to the Underworld, it may buy us some time. It is…my sacrifice to bear." Wu's gaze rises to meet Kai's. "It is true your journey has been full of many mistakes, but it is important that you make them now, so you may learn from them and better yourself. And in the meantime…it is my responsibility to ensure that you do not suffer because of them."

Kai doesn't like the way that rolls from Wu's mouth; it sound far too much like a goodbye.

"No, you're wrong…it's _my_ fault, so it should be my responsibility! You probably had your reasons for your choices, and I shouldn't have come on my own, but...but… _but_ …"

He just wanted to make sure Nya got home safely, but his presence that night ensured that she hadn't. Then he wanted to turn to people he thought he could trust, but the police turned out useless. He tried to go after Olivia, but he eased up just a little and she slipped right through his fingers.

He tried to train, tried to go to school to learn things, tried to actually make some progress for once in his life…and it seems there's always, always, always going to something standing in his way, no matter what he does.

"…what else am I supposed to do?! Why is everything I do always going to be wrong?!"

It's a little too raw and personal for the crisis at hand, but it spills out and there's no stopping it now. Anger seizes him and he nearly throws himself at Vulcanell, but Wu snatches him from midair and sets him right back down. Kai struggles in the other's grip, and what does that say about him, if he can't even best an old man?

He tries to get up again, but Wu's reflexes are too much to overcome. He continually pushes Kai back into helpless positions. If he's stabbed by that stupid staff _one more time_ —!

"Augh, aren't you the one trying to get me to learn all this?! Why are you stopping me now that we have even less time to mess around?!"

"Because you keep trying to push yourself too far when you're too worked up, causing you to overcorrect and overcompensate for your shortcomings. In this state, not only will you burn yourself out on the outside, you will burn yourself out from within as well."

"Stop speaking in riddles!" Kai wails, balling up his fists. "Just tell it to me straight—what am I supposed to be doing right now?! Training?! Waiting?! Running?! Fighting? Arguing? Trying?! Or failing again and again and again and _again_ —"

Kai's cut off when Wu's arms suddenly find their way around him. For a second, he thinks he's having the last remnants of his rage squeezed out of him, but when Wu pulls Kai to him, he realizes this is a hug.

The mystification of it all makes Kai go silent.

"You have been doing the right thing from the very beginning; you have been doing your best. And what matters is, you're still _here_."

Wu pulls away, resting his hands on Kai's shoulders. His smile is gentle and soft, just as his words had been.

"…and is that not what you told me when we met?"

Kai can't take it anymore—he cries, loud and wailing until he muffles it into Wu's shoulder and makes a soggy mess of his poor robes. Wu says nothing of it though, only providing the support Kai requires, just as he always had. And for once, it's nice to let everything out in something _other_ than unbridled fury.

"If this is supposed to be my best, then my best _sucks_ ," Kai laughs through sobs. Wu merely shakes his head.

"If all of us were truly at our best, none of us would have room to become even greater than we already are. The ability to better oneself…makes us limitless."

Kai sniffles again just as Nya puts a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. She smiles, eyes wet as well. Wu then pulls away, leaving Kai and Nya in each other's hands.

"And, as your Sensei, it is my responsibility to ensure that you'll always be able to move forward on a path that you forge for yourself. You should not have to fight the battles that should have been mine alone…or ones that shouldn't have been yours to begin with."

Wu jumps away from the duo and at Olivia, just as she starts to exit the temple. 

"Sensei, no, you can't!" Kai yells, trying to follow but Nya holds him back. Wu lets out a rallying cry as he carves the Sword of Fire through the minimal ground, raising the lava and dividing him and Olivia from everyone else. Just before reaching the doorway, Olivia whirls around, just in time for Wu to crash right into her.

"Hey! What the heck—old man, get off…!"

They struggle under the archway, with Wu gripping Olivia's wrist and activating the Realm Ripper. A portal straight into the Underworld is torn into reality, and Wu wastes no time overpowering Olivia and dragging them both through. Kai fights against Nya, falling to his knees begging.

"No, Sensei! You don’t have to do this! There has to be another way!"

Wu's got Olivia's body halfway into the portal, but he spares a deadly glance in Garmadon's direction.

"If you really seek your solace, then follow me and face me as I am, Brother! Let us finish what we started thirteen years ago…!"

"Oh, our feud goes on for _far_ longer than that," Garmadon snaps. "But it would be rude of me to turn down your invitation. I will see you on the other side, Brother…"

"This isn't over with me either! I'll be back! Again!" Olivia howls, just as the portal swallows her up. Wu looks over his shoulder at Kai and Nya, giving them a nod before the portal closes behind him as well. Kai fully collapses to the ground with a cry of anguish. Garmadon, meanwhile, lets the moment pass before letting his presence fade as well.

And now, only Kai and Nya remain. The sudden silence is suffocating.

"It's…all my fault…" Kai bemoans into the ground, tears from earlier continuing to fall. "Garmadon has two whole armies…! Wu won't be able to hold them all off for long…"

"But what about us?!" Nya yelps, shrinking back as Vulcanell advances upon them, apparently blaming them for the loss of the weapon. The lion's eyes burn with fire, each step in the volcanic rock traced with flame….

But, somehow, Kai's not as terrified at the confrontation as he'd thought he'd be.

He remembers how steady Cole had been facing Ruamoko, how calm Zane had been with Eirlys, how clever Jay had been towards Tawhiri. Here, Kai doesn't need to be those things.

He's tired, he's hurt, and his heart's been shattered too many times today alone, but Wu's right. He's still here. Persistence…is and always has been his greatest strength. Like a reigniting candle, he refuses to go out. Not like this.

Kai tilts his head up, drying his eyes with a swipe of his sleeve and meeting Vulcanell's gaze one on one. He feels Nya trembling behind him as Vulcanell leans down, yet even then still towering over the both of them. Kai squares his shoulders and refuses to be intimidated. Not this time.

"…I'm not much, I know. I'm probably not the kind of person you were expecting or hoping to take the sword, or to be the next Master of Fire. I know I wasn't expecting to find a lion in a volcano myself, but well, here we are."

Vulcanell stays still, proving that even fire can have its moments of patience. Kai smirks to himself.

"I need to accept you for what you are…just as I need to accept me for what I am, for better of worse. We're rash, and impulsive, and we can run wild at the strike of a match…and we're not always easy to handle. We give all that we have to offer and it's more than some are willing to deal with. People who play with fire tend to get burned, you know."

A low rumble comes from Vulcanell's throat—slightly off-put, but understanding. Kai knows the feeling.

"But we're also very warm, and passionate about everything we do, and protective almost to a fault..." He glances back at Nya, smiling wistfully. "...and while we seem to be able to burn on our own, we'll always burn brighter in the presence of others. And heck, a crazy old man once told me that the stars of the night can sometimes help us feel less alone, but even their brightness pales in comparison to the company of another person."

Nya can only watch in bewilderment as Kai snuggles into the lion's mane, like a boy loving his cat instead of a giant powerful beast. Even more baffling, the lion purrs. 

“Life is always going to hand me hardships to overcome…and I might not always make the right choice the first time around, but it wouldn't be worth it anyway if I was unable to pick myself back up and try for it again." 

Kai's eyes fall closed as he smiles. Despite everything that's happened, and everything that's about to, he's never felt warmer inside. Even if it's just for a flicker of a moment.

"Ninja never quit, after all."


	13. This Is Where I Leave You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai rejoins with the team with a few things to say; Garmadon deals with some loose ends in the Underworld.

So lions can walk on water, Kai learns as the the sun rises over the forest in the distance.

Vulcan generously allows himself to be used as a floating bus to get Kai and Nya back to shore, quietly admiring the sunrise as he does. Nya, a little drowsy but still churning adrenaline, clutches to his mane and keeps her eyes to the shoreline. Kai sits behind her, taking it all in…and then it hits him.

Nya is back. Nya is _safe_.

Repressed emotions in the heat of the moment come boiling back to the surface. Kai throws his arms around Nya and buries his face in her shoulder, smothering his sniffles once again.

It catches Nya off guard, but only for a second. She wastes no time in turning around so she’s the one burying her face in his shoulder.

"I thought I'd _never_ see you again," Kai gasps out, voice cracking as he hugs her more firmly. "I thought they took you away forever…!"

"I'm okay," Nya assures, even as she clutches his gi. “But I should have listened to you, I shouldn’t have let my pride compromise things—"

"I'm so sorry I yelled at you that night; I'm sorry I worried so much—"

“You were right to worry! And yeah, it does get on my nerves, especially when you overdo it, but I’d rather have you care than not at all!” Nya softens, looking ready to cry herself.

“Of course I do.” Kai pulls away, if only to look at her and reassure himself that she’s right in front of him. “You’re…all I have left.”

That had always been true. But somehow, after this past week, those words feel heavier than they ever have, pulling Kai’s smile into a frown.

Nya frowns too, but shifts so she’s able to scoot closer next him. Silence settles in, but it doesn't stay for long.

“So, catch me up on what’s been going on this week. Garmadon said something about the old man that visited us being his _brother_ …? Not to mention this has all accumulated in us riding a fire lion across the ocean..."

Kai grumbles, running a hand down his face.

“Oh boy. All right—buckle up sis, this is gonna make your little conspiracy heart _explode_.”

So, just to past the time, Kai starts from the very beginning: of how Wu was apparently a friend of their parents, of how their father was the Master of Fire and was given a map to protect, of how the police have failed him, of how Nya’s robotics club had informed Wu of what happened, how Wu approached him in the middle of the night and convinced him being a ninja and gathering the weapons was the right move to make—

“And you let him make you climb an entire mountain?!”

“Psssh, that was just the first test.”

He also goes into detail of Olivia being his very first and pretty much only suspect. Nya cackles at the idea of Kai being forced to go to school, but the more she learns of how he closed in on Olivia’s true nature, the deeper her heart sinks into her stomach.

“Does that mean…she was only my friend because I had the map? Or did she know about your ninja potential and used me to keep tabs on you?”

Kai grimaces—both of those could be likely scenarios. But, at the bottom of everything, Kai also knows that not the whole truth.

“…no. As much as I currently hate her guts, I do think she actually likes you. We didn’t even know about the map until the other day, and neither did she. And even if she _was_ just trying to get on your good side, not even an evil maniac would spend so much money buying their target smoothies.”

Nya laughs, but it’s broken and wet, and she hastily swipes her arm across her eyes.

“Then why…why did she kidnap me?”

“…perhaps she was just following orders; it’s clear she’s very deeply rooted in that army. Her father seems to be a part of it as well,” Kai says. “Not that I’m _defending_ her actions—I would wring her neck if I got close enough—but…I’m just trying to understand her.”

“Yeah, me too…” Nya curls up against her brother. “Anyway, finish the non-Olivia part of the story. I wanna hear about your reaction to the school’s lunch meat.”

“Haha. But…I didn’t really get to try any of that. Your robotics friends…kinda helped me out.”

Nya pops right back up. “Oh? Were they just being nice because you’re my brother?”

“I’m sure that was part of it,” Kai remarks dryly. “But, uh, plot twist, turns out all three of them were already ninja too.”

Nya gasps. “ _No_.”

“Yup. Jay’s stupidly maneuverable and clever, Cole’s got ridiculous strength, and Zane can calculate a plan’s probability of success in an eyeblink, oh and he’s _psychic_ , and he told me I was gonna drown but then I didn’t, and Jay could give you a list of fun facts about every little thing, and Cole’s apparently the leader but he’s always so hungry, and oh yeah we had this race in the Floating Ruins and oh man—!”

“Wait, wait, slow down!” Nya gasps through her giggles, tugging on his arm. “Don’t turn into Jay now.”

Kai huffs. “I could never.”

Nya smirks, yet lets her gaze fall onto her lap. “It sounds like you’ve gotten pretty close with them. And you were even having fun!”

Kai doesn't say anything. She elbows him sharply, and smugly.

“I _told_ you they were good people.”

“…Yeah.” Kai glowers at the horizon. He knows that all too well.

* * *

Cole wakes up from a restful slumber into a nightmare. He barely has a second to register that he’s conscious before a skeleton’s all up in his face—instinct alone is what pulls him to his feet and out of danger’s grasp. He blinks; Bonezai lifts him up off the ground by the scruff of his neck.

It’s risky, but Cole tries to assess the situation:

Skeletons are scattered across their meager camp. Wu is nowhere in sight, neither is Kai, and Jay and Zane—

"Cole, don't—!" Jay yells before Krazi chops him in the throat and shoves him to the ground, all tied up and haphazardly tossed on top of an out-cold Zane. That alone makes Cole sees red, but then Samukai struts to the middle of the pack, all three collected Golden Weapons in his grasp. Samukai has the nerve to simper in Cole's direction, waving the weapons like the gold trophies they are.

"I believe…these belong to Lord Garmadon now."

Situation assessed enough; Cole reaches out and strangles Bonezai until he lets go.

Cole hits the ground, fleetingly grateful for contact with his element, and grabs at the nearest weapon. It's not his scythe, but Kai's katanas. That's…really unsettling, given that Kai would never willingly leave them behind, but for the moment they're the only thing protecting Cole from capture. He'll be grateful, just this once.

He's immediately surrounded; Kruncha's got his scythe, Nuckal's taken Jay's nunchucks, and Wyplash has Zane's shuriken. The odds have never been more against him—even facing the army itself hadn't been this nerve-wracking.

Samukai raises the Golden Weapons once again, gleefully watching as Kruncha, Nuckal, and Wyplash encircle Cole and leave him no escape.

"We've rendered them helpless! Now, TO THE FIRE TEMPLE!" he yells, rallying his troops to action. They all holler joyously in response, just as Garmadon's shadow overtakes those of the trees in the forest. The celebration is cut short as his sweeping voice overpowers the commotion.

"My brother's taken the Sword of Fire to the Underworld!" Garmadon's eyes blaze with irritation. "Hurry, return home before it's too late and unite the weapons!"

"…Change of plans," Samukai coughs. "…TO THE UNDERWORLD!"

Another chorus of shouts flood the area; the troops depart by the carful into purple portals, only leaving the trio currently surrounding Cole. Cole watches as the Golden Weapons are so easily taken away, but his heart clenches upon seeing Jay and Zane incapacitated. He can at least get them back in action, right?

"Free them, right now!" Cole commands, hating the way his voice shakes. How did he let this happen? How did he manage to sleep through the full assault of his friends and the theft of the only things that could spare Ninjago from eternal darkness?! "Do so, and I won't have to get violent!"

The Skulkin stare at Cole for a moment before breaking down into laughter. Indignant, Cole punctuates his point by kicking down Nuckal who had the unfortunate luck of being too close. The skeleton's laughter immediately subsides; Cole finds himself in a three against one.

It's really clear Cole's been slacking on his dual-wielding training, but he trudges through it well enough. He's no Kai, but maneuvering around with two weapons isn't so hard when your life depends on it. 

Nuckal has _no_ idea what he's doing with Jay's nunchucks, so that's at least an easy target. Cole deflects the blows easily, letting them glance off the katanas before allowing the chain to wrap around one of the blades. Cole smirks, yanking back and disarming Nuckal right away—Kruncha jumps behind him and whacks him over the head with the dull end of his scythe.

Cole starts to fall but catches himself with Spinjitzu, using the momentum to throw himself backwards towards Kruncha. Kruncha dodges and let Wyplash take the hit, which results in Wyplash carelessly tossing the shuriken out of his hands. Cole yelps and ducks to evade, only to have to hold off his own scythe from coming down on his head. Kruncha snickers as he keeps Cole in place long enough for Nuckal to take out his legs. The world tilts on its axis as he lands hard, not getting a second to breathe before Wyplash kicks him in the ribs.

Kai's swords fly out of his hands and clatter against a rock. Cole lost this battle before it even started.

"Not so confident now, huh?" cackles Kruncha, leering over him. Cole can't even retort—the blow to his torso takes all the wind of out him. He grabs at his chest as Nuckal and Wyplash trudge up to Jay and Zane, Nuckal playfully nudging Jay with his foot.

"I say we string 'em up in a tree and use 'em as a pinata," Wyplash suggests. "Been a while since I had some decent target practice."

"Or we could roll 'em down one of hills in the valley," adds Nuckal. "Then we'll see which one of them makes the biggest splash in the river!"

"Hmm, that's tempting too. But which one should we mess with first? The blue one? Or the white one?"

"No, you can't—!" Cole pleads, coughing as he struggles to pull himself back up. Kruncha grabs Zane by the hood and the other two haul up Jay by the arms, and Cole can't move and he can't _breathe_ —

The wind picks up in that instance, but it's not the wind at all—a howling roar makes the trees rustle with its force and Cole feels the temperature rise to unnatural levels. He has enough strength to look over his shoulder, enough to see a gigantic lion charging right for them, with Kai on its back. He briefly wonders if he hit head a little too hard, but—

"LIOOOOOON!" Jay and the Skeletons scream, just as Zane wakes up and decides to tune back into things. Vulcan brakes to a stop right before crashing into the skeletons, paws leaving flaming imprints in the grass, and leans forward to roar again. The skeletons are forced away from Jay and Zane, all while Kai leaps off Vulcan's head, flips in midair, and picks up his abandoned katanas from the ground. 

Kai twirls over and frees Jay and Zane from their restraints. Vulcan meanwhile lets loose a roar of pure fire that Cole fears is going to burn down the entirety of the Forest of Tranquility. The Skulkin must feel the same way, because they're already running off before Vulcan can finish them off. Cole sees Kai smirk at the skeletons' hasty departure before he faces Cole, concern suddenly flooding through him.

"Cole, are you okay?!" Kai's at his side in an instant, carefully helping him up. Cole coughs, shaking his head. He's fine, really.

"Just a few bumps and bruises, I'm all right. How do Jay and Zane look…?"

"Jay's throat doesn't look good and Zane seems more out of it than usual, but they're in one piece," Kai sighs. He takes another look around the camp, frowning. "I take it they got away with the Golden Weapons?"

"…yeah. I'm sorry." Cole hangs his head. "I-I don't know how I managed to sleep through their initial strike, but—"

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault they had this planned right down to the details." Kai slugs Cole in the shoulder. He does frown, however. "Sensei's bought us some time by taking the Sword of Fire to the Underworld, but if the Skeletons are bringing the rest there as we speak…we might have to deal with Garmadon _really_ soon."

Cole blanches at that, but is unable to voice his thoughts as Jay tackles Kai and Zane follows him looking perplexed.

"Where WERE you?!" Jay yells in Kai's ear. "We thought they'd taken you, or worse—!"

"And exactly what happened to Sensei Wu?" adds Zane. Kai deflates, gripping at his arm.

"I…I heard Sensei mention that Garmadon was laying a trap for us, and had plans to put off collecting the Sword of Fire. So I went there on my own, hoping I could get it first so I could free Nya before I lost the chance…"

"You…went by YOURSELF—?!" Cole begins to shout, a little distressed about Kai's eavesdropping, but Kai presses on.

"Sensei followed me, and we ran into Shadow Garmadon and the Crazy Commander who is apparently Nya's best friend, but Garmadon was about to trap us in the temple when Sensei sacrificed himself and went to the Underworld—"

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down, that's so _much!"_ Jay whines.

"But the point is, Olivia is General Number Two and Sensei went to the Underworld to stall Garmadon's gambit, correct?" Zane concludes.

Kai nods, and Cole pinches his nose. "…I can't _believe_ you made it out in one piece."

"I had some help," Kai laughs, gesturing to Vulcan. The other ninja take a small step back when the lion approaches, but he just lies on his belly and purrs gently. "He's actually kind of a big softie once you get to know him—hey, no, ahahaha, stop, knock it off…!"

Kai chuckles more as Vulcan nuzzles him affectionately. Jay laughs too, just as Zane gains a look of pride.

"So you managed to tame the Guardian of Fire after all?"

"Yeah…turns out he's just easily misunderstood, like the rest of Guardians." Kai's gaze falls to the ground. "Once he realized our intent was to protect the Sword of Fire, he helped us escape…but at the cost of the sword itself, and the cost of Sensei.”

The other three tense up; without Wu or the Sword of Fire, and the enemy having the rest of the weapons, Garmadon's descent upon Ninjago would be nigh. And they, newly and barely trained ninjas, would be forced to fight off an army or two on their own.

"…well, that's fantastic!" Jay complains, stomping his foot and glowering. "So did _anything_ good come out of your little solo excursion that _might_ make _any_ of this even a _little_ bit worth it?!”

"…only one thing," Kai confesses, and it’s then that Nya’s head pops over Vulcan’s mane, giving the boys an excited wave. Jay, Cole, and Zane freeze in disbelief, but the moment the shock wears off, the trio elbows past Kai—Kai topples to the ground—and they make a beeline right for her.

"NYA!!!" they cheer, Nya jumping off of Vulcan and landing in Zane's arms.

“You are okay!” Zane exclaims, helping her carefully to the ground. “It is so good to see you in one piece!”

“Good to _be_ in one piece,” Nya says back, only to shriek when Cole picks her up from behind and swings her around.

“She’s back! She’s really back!” Cole sets her down with swirls in her eyes. “What was it like in the Underworld?!”

“Dark…creepy…full of dead things. Nothing special.” Nya shakes off the dizziness. Cole pouts and nudges her shoulder.

“Well it wasn’t anything you couldn’t handle, given you lasted a week there.”

Nya smiles weakly at that, but it turns into a real one when Jay comes sprinting at her, arms outstretched.

“Oh, Jay—!”

"My turn, my turn!" chants Jay, and Nya spins into his hold laughing. "I missed you so much! And you MISSED so much! There was a cave, and bunch of skeletons, and a gorilla, and an ice fortress, and a wolf, and a floating electric octopus, and a hoverboard, and—!”

Nya breaks down into giggles—the sound is rough from disuse, but no less entirely genuine and appreciated.

"So I've heard! And I also heard from Kai that…you guys are actually ninja?"

Jay whistles sheepishly. Cole promptly swats Kai upside the head.

"That was SUPPOSED to be a secret…!"

"Oi, how _else_ was I supposed to explain the outfit or why I can suddenly turn into a funnel of fire?!"

"By saying _literally_ anything else!"

"Ahahaha, yeah, what are the odds, right?" Jay coughs out, but then becomes extremely serious, placing his hands on her shoulders. "And listen, there's something I just gotta know…do you like the blue?!"

Nya blinks, taking a moment to observe his gi, only to burst into a grin that fills her face.

"Of course I do! Blue is my favorite color!"

Jay gapes, then proceeds to spin around triumphantly until he bursts into lightning.

"YESSSSSSS!!!"

“…So much for being a ‘secret’ ninja force,” says Cole, arms folded behind his head. Zane grimaces with a headshake.

"Sense is not going to happy about this one…"

Cole grunts in agreement, only to witness Kai trying to sneak off in his peripheral vision. Oh, so they're doing THIS now—?!

"And what did you think _you_ were doing?! Going off on your own in the dark by yourself to face Garmadon?!"

Cole's commanding voice halts Kai's escape, forcing him to whirl around defensively.

"I wasn't trying to face Garmadon, but Nya—!"

"Sensei _did_ warn you that there would be a trap," Zane adds, folding his arms. Kai gawks, hands fisted into his hair. He can barely handle a solo confrontation from Cole or Zane, but them tag-teaming him is impossible to overcome. Not with their stern voices, their serious looks, or the fact that they have a _point_ and they're _disappointed_.

"I…I just…"

Any excuses die on Kai's tongue. They've all been tried and countered up to this point, and Kai lacks the strength to even _want_ to defend himself. He did something stupid, again, well-intentioned or not. Cole and Zane resume their lecture, all while Jay watches with a concerned frown.

Nya, however, is a black belt in dealing with Kai’s nonsense, so she squares her shoulders and sets her jaw for whatever tirade Kai’s got cooking up.

"Kai," Nya says defiantly, cutting Cole and Zane right off. "What you did might not have been the correct move, but as your Sensei said, you've done nothing less than your best. And, look—you managed to rescue me after all! You can't beat yourself up that hard about it."

“You don’t understand, Nya." Kai's got that sobby tone to his voice, but Nya knows he's not going to cry again. Not in front of his team. "It's not just about the Fire Temple. The whole time I’ve been with them, I’ve just been screwing up…and holding everyone else back.”

Both Jay and Cole go to protest, but Kai's sudden hand raise stops them both.

“I nearly had a breakdown in a hallway for a stupid reason and Jay had to console me. I commit the equivalent of a school felony and Zane both bailed me out and scolded me for it. And Cole tried to warn me of the dangers in following the skeletons and I got him hurt!"

The others pull back a bit—all those things had been true, after all. Kai winces, unable to look at any of them.

“And then I still tried to do everything by myself! I used the scythe in the Caves because I knew my Spinjitzu wouldn’t be on par with everyone else. I nearly got us trapped in the Ice Fortress, I derailed our mission with dumb antics in the Lightning Temple, and I ditched everyone and made them worry just to get you back…”

Kai dares to glance at Cole, whose face is flooded with guilt when it shouldn't.

"And don't pretend you haven't noticed. I know you talked to Sensei about my shortcomings…and I get it, okay? I'm just one big failure that can't stop screwing up no matter what…!"

His breath hitches, and Kai digs his palms into his eyes.

"So…I get it if you don't want to deal with me anymore. I can just go back to being a simple blacksmith and taking care of Nya, and it'll be fine. I…can accept my flaws. Meeting Vulcan made me realize that I _have_ to, cuz I'll never be able to move forward otherwise."

Kai's ready to hear the words he's sure they've all been dying to tell him this whole time—that's he's never going to be a good ninja and that he doesn't belong—but Cole instead grabs him by the shoulders and forces Kai to look at him. When Kai doesn't, Cole shakes him until Kai's hands are forced away from his face, and he has no choice but to meet Cole's eyes.

He's never seen Cole so serious, not even against the Skeletons.

"No, stupid, we're not mad because you can't keep up, or because you keep messing up—we've _all_ done that, and we're all going to _keep_ doing that!" Cole's grip tightens, and so does his voice. "We're mad because you venture off without us, try to do something you’re not fully prepared for by yourself, and left us worried sick!"

"Jay thought you got eaten," Zane includes while Jay nods tearfully. Cole groans, clutching his forehead.

"We've been trying to tell you and show you since we _met_ you that you don't need to tackle all these problems by yourself! We’re here for you now, through the good and the bad, and you don’t have to push us away just to avoid looking weak. We’re _all_ weak, but we’re stronger together.”

"We can't do this without you!" Jay exclaims. "Without you, we'd just be Earth, Ice, Lightning, and Flbbbblth!"

"We quite literally cannot do this without you—without Fire, the elements would become out of balance." Zane adds. Cole and Jay give him a look. "…but, were your presence to be absent, element or not, I truly feel this team would not be complete. We enjoy your company, unpredictable as it may sometimes be."

"You'd be pretty boring otherwise," Jay finishes with a wink. Kai's stunned at their insistence, yet still shakes his head.

“But you guys…shouldn’t have to keep picking up my slack…I should be better than this on my own merit—"

“And you’ll get there!" Cole insists. "But we’re going to keep picking up your slack, because you’d do the same thing for us.”

“But—"

“Kai, I hate to break this to you, but…” Nya grips her arm but keeps her sights trained on Kai. A teasing smile graces her face. “…that’s just what having a big brother is like.”

Kai blinks. “I’m older than Jay.”

“That’s not my point!" Nya hisses as Jay looks slighted. "Look, for practically my whole life I’ve been following _your_ lead. You’re the one that reigned me in when I got reckless. You’re the one that encouraged me when I was at my lowest. You’re the one that looked out for me when no one else would…and I’ve been trying this whole time to pay you back for it, but _I_ keep holding you down. We’re almost broke, you’re starving, and you can’t even live a normal life or the life that you want to because you’re trying so hard to give _me_ one.”

Everything about Kai crumbles—heated frustration fizzles into sadness that he just doesn’t have the strength to hold in anymore. Nya’s the same way, but she smiles through her tears and reaches for the edge of Kai’s sleeve. Kai does try to protest—he doesn't blame Nya for any of this _at all—_ but Nya gently holds him back with a hand on his arm.

“And I know it’s hard for you to understand those feelings because you’ve never had someone looking out for you like that…but _I_ know what it’s like, okay? And I knows it’s kinda sudden and kinda not the most ideal timing, but you’ve got three brothers now who aren’t expecting your best all the time; they just want what’s best _for_ you."

Kai's heart twists; he's gonna tear a hole in his gi with how hard he clutches it.

"…she said it in more words than I was gonna use, but she's right," Cole chuckles nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "We're not just a team anymore, or even just friends—we're brothers. And we're solid."

Cole smiles, punctuated with a punch to his palm. Jay and Zane peek over his shoulders, grinning as well.

…Kai feels a little foolish for ever believing they would abandon him; not after the many opportunities they could have done so, and not after _that_ speech.

Instead, he'd almost abandoned them, and for what? He can't leave them behind, not anymore than he could imagine abandoning Nya.

His heart hasn't felt this full in _years_.

"…all right, come on guys, bring it in!"

Kai barely waits for anyone else to make a move before he's bear-hugging Cole, and Jay's on them both with a blinding grin. Zane drifts in close as well, and Nya one-ups them all by jumping on them from behind and knocking them all to the ground. Their laughter echoes into the forest, chasing away the melancholy of the moment.

The world could end at the break of dawn, but for now, the comfort they find in each other is too good to resist.

Especially if it’s the last chance they may get to do so.

* * *

Wu runs in a place unknown to him, darkness in every corner and light fading with every step. He’s not sure where he managed to ditch Olivia at, but the Sword of Fire glows softly with its warmth and guides his way.

The Underworld is one of the many places his father warned him not to travel to, if given the chance. Getting in was easy, getting out was harder, and during a premature or unprecedented stay in the realm, it could cause unpredictable side effects.

Wu’s terrified to see what it must have done to Garmadon.

He tries not to think about it, instead distracted by the lack of _anything_ in this realm. Huge spiders dangle from a ceiling hidden in the dark, and the scant pathways of bones don’t seem to lead anywhere… In fact, all paths led to the rather ominous castle, serving as the only sign of life.

Wu knows that is where Garmadon awaits him; he resolutely turns heel and makes sure _not_ to go that way.

“Nice try, Brother!” Garmadon’s voice calls from everywhere and nowhere at once. Wu freezes—Garmadon must have eyes even in the dark. "Trying to get away on my turf will be your last mistake!"

The shadows themselves are against Wu; he tries making a run for it, but zip lines and grappling hooks shoot out from nowhere and latch onto him. The Sword is yanked out of his grasp as he's pulled to the ground, and only now can he see his assailants—Shark Army members emerging from the dark.

"Well well well…" heckles General Omar as he walks right up and claims the Sword of Fire for himself. He holds it carefully, admiring its shine. "How kind of you to bring this here for us. You've saved us quite a bit of trouble, you know."

Wu refuses to respond; instead, he uses his bindings as leverage to flip himself backwards, the tip of his foot catching on the Sword. It flies out of Omar’s grasp and into the air, sailing back down through the ropes and freeing Wu. Before Omar can register anything, Wu’s already gotten the Sword back and taken a fighting stance. A Skulkin soldier whistles in the distance.

“It will take more than a mere sneak attack to subdue me, I’m afraid.”

Omar growls, drawing his own sword and swinging it Wu’s way. Wu dodges easily, like wind itself, and turns the tables with his Spinjitzu. Members of both armies try to rush at him; Wu takes them down in single strikes, and surely this isn’t the best Garmadon could scrounge up—

“Ah, Master Wu…your Spinjitzu is looking a little rusty.”

Wu stills as Samukai makes his entrance, arriving from the direction of the castle. All four arms are folded behind his back, but Wu would know the glow of the Golden Weapons anywhere. And if Samukai had them, then the ninja—!

Wu frowns and tilts the sword towards Samukai.

“Nothing like bone to sharpen its edge.”

Samukai laughs at that. He brandishes the other three Golden Weapons and charges at Wu. Wu takes a step back; the ground threatens to crumble beneath his feet. He sways to left, dodging both an attack and a plunge to the death, though Samukai matches his speed and catches him on the downswing. And it's easy to see why Samukai was once the feared ruler of the Underworld.

He's also not so stupid as to tap into the weapons’ full power all at once, but Samukai does use the Shuriken of Ice to freeze the ground. Wu, however, is adept at maneuvering on any surface. It makes it that much simpler for him to slide into Samukai's blind spot. He stabs forward—the strike is barely parried by the Nunchucks. A stray bolt of lightning hits Wu square in the chest, forcing him to the ground.

Wu fumbles but swings again, sending streams of fire at Samukai. Samukai crushes them beneath bits of earth, then throws the Shuriken once more. Wu ducks in order to avoid being frozen, but fails to account for their back swing. They graze his legs as they nicks his pants, pinning him in place on the ground. Samukai charges once more, and it's all Wu can do but to hold up the Sword and fend off the might of the other three Golden Weapons.

"You are outmatched, Master!" Samukai barks, reveling in the shift of power. "You're better off just handing over the sword now!"

"You'll have to…take it from me…!"

"That can be arranged," Omar remarks. Bearings regained and perched upon an outcropping of rock, he sends his arm forward, a silent signal to his army. Once more members of the Shark Army drift out from the shadows armed to the teeth with weapons and gadgets Wu's never seen before. Samukai takes the Shuriken back just as new restraints close around Wu. He again attempts to shake them off with Spinjitzu, but these chains—whatever they're made of have severely damped his abilities. Vengestone, perhaps…?

"…he really did plan for everything," Wu whispers as he loses his grip on the Sword of Fire, once more picked up by Omar with less fanfare than before. The General spares Wu a glance before barking the order to lead him to the castle. Samukai snickers with delight as Wu is marched like a prisoner towards the place he'd been so desperate to avoid.

* * *

Entering the castle proves that it's just as harrowing on the inside as it is on the outside, with floor after floor full of skeletons looking down at the foyer below. They all clang their bones together as if ringing in a sacrifice, and Wu…well, he's been in better situations. And also worse ones.

Eventually he's lead straight into the throne room, where both Samukai and Omar take a knee and bow to the throne before them.

And there upon the throne is Wu's older brother, laying eyes upon each other for the first time in over thirteen years.

"Hello, Brother," Garmadon greets with a sweep of his hand, treating it all as a cordial visit. "How _kind_ of you to see me after all these years, and you've brought a welcoming gift as well! How _thoughtful_."

"Garmadon," Wu huffs back, not amused in the slightest. The subtle glee falls right off Garmadon's face as he glowers.

"Ugh, that's the third time someone's greeted me like that this week. Can't you people be just a little more creative?! I put in a lot of work to make a moment as dramatic as possible, and you all just…keep giving me such cliché lines! Where's the spice?!"

Wu refuses to dignify that with a response. Garmadon clicks his tongue, refusing to lose his momentum.

"What's wrong, is your age finally catching up to you? Oh, you _are_ looking much older than the last time I saw you. Perhaps we could get away with telling people _I'm_ the younger brother now?"

Wu once again refuses to rise to the bait.

"…you're no fun; but then again, you never were," Garmadon pouts. "Just as well—let’s get right down to business, shall we?”

Olivia arrives from the sidelines to shove Wu to the ground, forcing him to watch as Garmadon breaks down into a maddening cackle.

"That's for trying to steal my Realm-Ripper, Old Man!" she huffs, keeping a tight hold on his restraints. "Your clever diversions and attempts at escape end here!"

"…your voice lacks the visceral edge the rest of these scoundrels do," Wu notes, fleetingly amused. "Tell me, do you fight for what you believe, or do you fight because you're told?"

Olivia falters, but drives a foot into Wu's back. "That's none of your business! Lord Garmadon said you'd try to use some mind tricks on me, so I'm onto your deception!"

"I am under the impression that the only deception you've fallen prey to is your own."

Before Olivia can voice her new wave of anger, Garmadon stands and casts his arms to the air. Omar and Samukai also rise, turning to face one another. Garmadon peers down at his helpless brother, this moment clearly ages in the making.

"Witness, Brother, as I breach everything you've worked so hard to 'protect' in Father's name! And we have no one to thank but yourself for making it possible…!"

That finally gets a reaction out of Wu—it's subtle, but he slouches, his head tipping down towards the ground. Garmadon grins with a wide row of teeth.

"Bring forth the sword!"

Omar nods and holds his arms out, the Sword of Fire splayed carefully in his hands. He steps forward and kneels before Garmadon; Garmadon grins, then motions for Samukai to take it. Samukai's laugh is smug and delighted, holding out his one free arm to take on the final Golden Weapon. Wu wails from the ground, begging for Omar to reconsider.

Omar remains emotionless as the Sword of Fire is dropped into Samukai's grasp. All four weapons, united at last.

"Yes…" breathes Garmadon, taking his seat back on the throne. "Now, bring the four weapons to me…!"

The power of four elements in his grasp, Samukai raises the weapons and turns towards Garmadon with a defiant smirk.

"…no! YOU will obey ME now! For too long you've enslaved my people, forcing them under your will through fear…well, no more! This time, it will be you that fears the Skulkin, and you'll regret ever trying to take reign of our domain!”

The Skulkin immediately burst into rallying cheers; the Shark Army looks absolutely taken aback. Garmadon merely leans his head on his hand, never looking less amused.

"Is that right?"

"That _is_ right!” Samukai barks. He steps forward, quaking with the power he wields. “We may have lost to you, Wu, and Lady Iron Dragon in the Skeletal War, and we may have bided our time when you fell into the Underworld—"

“Wu’s fault,” Garmadon huffs. Wu shoots him a look. “And besides, I rightfully kicked your butt. Twice.”

“Not anymore! Not while I wield the Four Golden Weapons, and now, I'll take back what’s been wrenched from me…!”

Wu watches Samukai encourage his forces by waving the weapons about, their combined glow turning threatening rather than comforting. The Skulkin remain oblivious to the impending disaster; the Shark Army, however, can take a hint and start running for their lives.

"No one alive…can handle all of their powers at once, Samukai,” Wu says as a reminder. Garmadon rolls his eyes.

“Sure, not _yet,_ at least…but most definitely not this bonehead before us." Samukai’s face falls as Garmadon rises again, destructive power radiating off of him. "Selfish fool…did you think I wouldn't plan on your betrayal? You’re so easy to predict I could cry.”

Samukai takes a step back, suddenly losing control of all four of his arms. Only now does he feel the unpleasant sensation building up since the moment he grabbed the Sword. The weapons shake violently, protesting their unification in the hands of one unworthy. And yet, Samukai’s paralysis prevents him from letting go.

"Wh-what's…happening to me…?!"

 _Now_ the Skulkin look worried, but Garmadon leans against his throne, smugness returning to his eyes.

"Why, you've fallen right into my master plan, that's all. Not even I can handle all four weapons! But, now that they are combined…it'll create a vortex that'll finally allow me my escape from this ghastly place!"

"No!" yells Wu, struggling against Olivia and the Vengestone. Olivia stomps him down again. “You _can’t_ let Garmadon go through that portal…!”

Samukai’s screams interrupt the rest of the chaos, the feeling in his legs going next. He falls with a clatter and a continued chorus of cries. Between each yell is a plea for mercy, and everyone still present is forced to watch as the weapons punish him for his greed, erupting him into aforementioned vortex from the inside out like a firework.

"Hooooly smokes," says Olivia, vaguely horrified. Her eyes flit over to Garmadon, who steps down from his throne at last and heads towards the newly presented exit. To him, it glimmers with hope, promise, and opportunity. For everyone else it only spells doom and destruction.

“…over a decade I’ve been trapped down here, Brother. Was there really no other way for you to deal with me?”

Wu narrows his eyes, hands and feet still held down by various shark-people.

“You know as well as I do that divine interference caused your banishment. All I wanted was for you to leave the monastery.”

“Please, you might as well just say _Father_ had a hand in things.” Garmadon’s fists clench. “But you’re both the same. When confronted with a problem you cannot solve, you simply displace yourself from it, until someone else comes along to deal with it.”

“You’re simplifying the matter; in your case there was no solution!”

“No—you all just never tried to find one!” Garmadon hisses, eyes glowing red. “For _years_ we just pretended like I wasn’t getting worse, like I could still have some semblance of a normal life…but that day thirteen years ago, when everything I wanted to love went away…I realized there would be only one thing I was good for— _destruction_.”

It’s the closest thing to sadness from Garmadon Wu’s seen in a long time, and it threatens to break his heart.

“I was only ever good at driving things apart, with or without the venom. And if I cannot exist as I am in Ninjago, then I will change Ninjago to exist for my purposes…!”

The words echo along the walls; bitter but true, grave but undeniable. The Shark Army’s rallying cries fill the gaps of silence. Wu slumps, on the verge of defeat, only able to watch as Garmadon turns his back on him one more time.

"…Father would not want you to do this, Brother," Wu says, and suddenly it's like they're seven and fourteen again, Wu begging Garmadon to reconsider just running away from it all. Garmadon, simmering in anger, only stalls in place as the portal widens just a little more.

"Father…is no longer here. Good and evil, there has always been the illusion of a balance…but where I'll go, and in the world I plan to build in my wake, it will be destroyed.”

"Garmadon…please…"

"Soon, I will be strong enough to posses the four weapons, so I may recreate the world in my own image! And for now, I will settle on taking over everything you tried so hard to protect in Father's name…"

Garmadon braces himself, then takes his first steps towards conquest.

"…you always were his favorite, so don't try to pretend like anything he said would have any sway over me."

With that, Garmadon vanishes into the portal, taking away all hopes of Ninjago's survival along with him.


End file.
